The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-09-15

In the spring of 1902 a falr stand oil
clover appeared on part OF the land where
the ashes were spread. TINS part was
left when the field was prepared for
wheat, and made a talr crop OF * this
see son. Last February clover was soWn
on the entire field and | have fair
stand and an extra good stand where the
ashes were put. | moved the field last
month, and the clover shows still where
every shoveful of ashes went even on
a chalky knoll where nothing had grown
for years Now, Is there some mineral
element IN the ashes that made the clover
grow? What was it? Would | get it in
floats or III what commercial fertilizer can
| get it? Why were the ashes so long
showing the effect, for they did not seem
to do the corn and wheat any good.
There has been little clover grown on
this land since it was cleared" And
that is probably just what is the matter
with it. If clover had been grown Oh
the land in q regular rotation from the
time it was cleared the land would not
now be termed old field. The ashes
furnished lime and potash, ana proba-
lily small percentage of phosphoric acid
1t was the lime and potash that did the
work for you, in all probability more the
| effect of the lime, for the aWmlll ashes
VIII have a small percentage OF potash II
/ they are allowed, usual at such places
| to lie out IN the weather. You viii not
| get any potash IN floats usually, but
will get phosphoric acid that becomes
slowly soluble In the SOIL and you will
! get some lime in the form Of a sulphate
Of lime or plaster, if the rock is dissolved,
! hut IN the floats you will get simply the
lnsolube phosphate of lime. 1t would
seem that your land needs potash and
the sweetenng effect of lime. Give the
clover dressing of lime at rate of 20
! bushels of freshly Stacked lime per acre
next spring before growth begins, and
later topdress with a mixture of live parts
later topdress with a mixture of five parts
acid phosphate to one part Of muriate
OF potash and use 900 or more pounds
per acre. Usethis on part of the field
and note the difference between this and
where lime only IS used and you will
be getting closer to the reason for the
| action of the ashes
Canning Lima Beans.-Nelson T. vii
liams, Farm School, N. C.-'Please tell
me your process for canning pole lima
means. l have just canned thirty-eight
cans and they have spoiled. l have had
good success IN canning tomatoes and
string beans, and treated the lima beans
| In the same way and do not understand
why they spoiled The lima beans is
one of those vegetables which the good
housewife put in cans with hopes,
but not with confidence of success. They
sometimes keep all right; more often they
spoil. and the reason of their spelling Is
not always to be discovered or even suS-
pected. Mrs Rorer, the great expert IN
cookery gives the following recipe:
Fill the jars full of uncooked beans, then
fill the jars full of cold water, and lay on
the tops. Place hav or straw in the bot
tom Of q wash boiler; place the jars on
this, and pour in sufficient cold water tC
half cover them. Put the boiler ovel
the fire; cover it closely with the lid and
boil steadily for three hours. Take uQ
the jars; see that they are filled to over
flowing, and screw on the covers ds
tightly possible. Stand aside, where
the air will not strike them, to cool
When cold again screw the covers, and
keep in a dark, cool place. Asparagus
, and peas may be canned IN the same
way