The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-09-25
Hairy vetch.

| This 1s an annual legumno ous plant capable of being grown to advantage in nearly all parts of Alabama. The
 soils least suitable for 1t are certain sSd iss not and poor wnfe @ ,n .sTd ssds
 factorily on quite poor soil. provided # contains fair amounts of clay and 1T the seeding is early and inoculation Is
 It Is dificuit to say whether vetch is most important for a pasture plant for late winter and for spring or as hay crop or as 2 means of improving the stubble are plowed under. It Is about equal to clover and alfalfa in nutritive value and no stronger commendation cattle. sheep. hogs. and horses, and this
 is true whether in the green or cured condition.
 use as a weed killer. In our experi- 1 ment plots at Auburn, thick growth of vetch leaves the land quite free from weeds. while on adjacent plots, | troublesome growth of pepper grass. sorrel and evening primrose.
 | yetch has a longer period during winter-growing legume suited to our climate. Seed can be sown during Au- gust and even at the last blowing of advise this. In central Alabama sow | ings can be safely made as late as the latter part of October. It should be borne in mind, however, that the ad- vantage is with the earlier sowing, September seeding usually affordlng the larger yield and always afrording earlier grazing than later sowing. Vetch is less subject to winter killing and heaving than the young plants of alfalfa, crimson clover, or late-sown burr clover.
 I have never found conditions under Axror fnc vetch alone. Instead it should be combined with one of the small grains preferably with oats or beardless wheat for hay or with either stn . or these, or oeS, on northern part of the State where red oats are often winter killed, I regard crop for vetch intended for hay. Where red oats usually pass the winter safely, a combination of red oats and hairy vetch Is entirley satisfactory both ripening Turf oats have been highly recommended for sowing with vetch, and being harder than red oats they enough to force them into rapid growth early in the spring, and when the date of seeding Is early enough in the fall. On poor land or with late sowing. tne by the time the vetch needs support and is ready for cutting.
 The chief disadvantage of hairy Vetch is the cost of the seed. now about eight cheaper, I should prefer to use forty or nifty pounds of vetch seed per acre with one of the grains nentioned ss ed above 1 usually SOW only about 25 10 30 pounds of vetch seed per acre to- gether with about two bushels Of oats. five pecks of wheat, or five pecks of rye Even this is expensive and much cheaper start can be made by one of the following methods; Ql SOW red oats as usual, and after blowing them In drop three or four vetch seed every eighth or tenth ftirrow slice. This gives a thin row of vetch every live to eight feet. If these rows are permit ted to ripen their seed, the land will be completely reseeded for the next fall. This implies however that the oats De cut quite late so as to permit the shed. ding of the vetch seed Because of late ripening turf oats are suitable Tor this purpose, hut red oats may also be put to the same use, though they may shatter somewhat before harvesting. sits of sowing hairy vetch and beard less wheat and cutting very early for hay, that is. when, wheat and vetch are just about to bloom. The second unless the season is very, dry will bloom abundantly and thickly reseed the land. (O third method or cheaply getting start M " with ,hs verra ,erracss from which 1t viii be scattered by the bursting of the seed pods in June:
 Inoculation for vetch is needed on nearly all soils in Alabama except on garden spots and some lots around residences. For this purpose, use soil from a vetch field or from spot in the garden in which there are no serious
 To inocuiate the seed. stir some of this soil into water and dip the seed into 1t, then dry the seed in more or the -a1 he to inoculate large proportion. but not all, of the plants. It would De vel to supplement this by sowing one-hait to one ton of the same soil per acre to harrow in both promptly The prin-- cipal fertilizer needed by vetch Is acid phosphate; potash may be useful on some sandy soils and on acid soils'
 Preparation for vetch need not be so thorough as for alfalfa and more like that for wheat or oats; but as the seed reasonable expense so to it the land that most of them will germinate. After becoming established vetch grows quite we'll without annual blow | ing of the land. J. F. D. InOcuIating and Sowing Crimson Glow
 Inquiries on this subject have been bama.
 Your inquiry of August 22nd is at hand. should in your case use soil | from clover field as inoculating ma terial for crimson clover. Soil is sur CT than culture and in this case less | expensive also I should dip the seed l in water in which has been stirred red clover soil. and in addition would SOW and promptly harrow in ton or more 1 per acre if practicable.
 Next to inoculation, the main point with crimson clover is to SOW carly with you as near the first of Septem. Der as possible.
 On sandy land, I have found that winter growth of crimson clover is better when sowing is made on land not broken within a month of seeding time clean cotton field makes one of the best seed beds.
 J. F. D.
 Preparation for Alfalfa On Red Clay
 Soil.
 A Chambers County correspondent