The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-06
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON 5. WHITE.
AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION.

CONDUCTED BY FL
AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION.
Now that we have outlined list of
standard crops which should be used in
place of SO much cotton, the next thing
will be to assist, If possible, our readers
in the preparation of their lands for these
| crops. There is a vast acreage of land
/ that has become almost worthless and
many acres that are so impovished that
/ it will be necessary to spend some time
in building them up.
/ First clear the land of all bushes, briars,
stumps and stones as far as possible.
Much of this work can be profitably per-
formed by sheep and goats, as outlined
: in a former paper Since writing that
/ paper ! have made a trip through Mex
! leo. where / found sheep and goats IN
great flocks and both proving very profit
able. Why should they not be made SO
on our similar rough mountain lands in
| Alabama.
Recently I was advocating the use of
goats for cleaning land of brush to one
/ of our readers, when he said that eXper-
j iments made with goats in Alabama had
not proved satisfactory. When pressed
to know why and in what way they
had failed the only answer was that they
would stray off and become lost. Just SO.
One must provide for this and build
fences, that will hold them. There is no
! stock or farm industry that is going to
care for itself, or none but what will
prove failure If left by itself. The use
Of stock as before outlined is one OF the
/ surest WAYS to begin the building up OF
/ the soil. BY the time the goats or sheep
i have cleared the land of brush and briars,
the land where 1t can be plowed is ready
! for such leguminous crops as VIII furnish
i nitrogen to the soil. The best of these
j The best of these is the stock pea, velvet
/ is stock pea, velvet bean and soy or sofa
bean Two crops per season of these may
! be grown on same land The vines can be
cut and saved for hay or turned under as
desired, or, in other words, used to best
advantage.
First Crop for Hay.
Where there is live stock on the farm,
especially sheep and cattle, it will be econ
| omy to save the first crop of vines for
! hay. Cut and save this crop turn under
the stubble and SOW the second crop
which may be turned under. 1t will be
well to lime the soil, using from twenty to
fifty bushels of pure rock lime per acre,
according to the demands of the soil. Sow
the lime broadcast, harrow in, and in
! the fall, right after blowing under this
last crop of peas and lining, sow winter
rye at the rate of from one-half to one
| bushel of good fresh seed. The better
plan for sowing the rye will be to use
| press drill, the same as for wheat Win
ter barley or winter wheat Either can
be used. but the rye is preferable for
many reasons which have often been
stated in these papers. Oats should never
be used In this rotation of crops in build
ing up>soils.
As stated before there has been an UNI
usually heavy acreage sown to oats this
| spring. and this land is or will soon be
clear of this crop and this will be a good
time to commence the building up of the
farm.
Now these is one of two things certain
about the oat fields in Alabama unless
the oats are very thick the sawyer briar
is sure to grow up with the crop. If the
the oats are so thick as to prevent the
growth of the briars while the crop is on
the land. why as soon as the oats are
harvested the briars will come up and by
| fall will have made a great growth. so
| that the stubble should be turned under
| as soon as the oats are harvested and the
| land sowed to stock peas. The peas should
! be harvested or turned under, the land
lined and sc we'd to rye as directed above.
| The rye may be pastured by the use OF
| light stock, such as calves, sheep and
| poultry and should be pastured only
when the soil is dry. Here IL where comes
| in the profits &C the sheep industry-the
growing and selling of early lambs. The
! manure from the sheep is very valuable
| and adds much to the value or profits or
growing them. Tho oat crop Is greedy
! feeder on both plant food and moisture,
and requires more moisture than is need
| ed for growing a crop of corn, so that the
sol. Is generally LEFT very hard and dry
after the crop s harvested. The soil
should be broken at once if possible and
not left to bake and harden by winds
ami hot sun after the oats are cut off.
Growing Early Potatoes.
low great many of our readers want
to engage in the sowing of early pota-
toes for market and if they will COM
mence with their oat stubble and treat 1t
as directed, they will have soil for grow
Ing a fine crop of early potatoes next
season. and all they will need in addi-
ton to this to make the crop of early
potatoes a profitable one will be for them
to procure a copy Of cur bulletin on potato
growing and follow its teachings to the
letter.
The early potato is not only a profitable
on to grow for market, but is crop that
soil may be prepared for quicker and at
much less cost than is required for vege-
table crops generally This Is a good crop
to use in a rotation of crops In soil build
ing After the oat stubble land has been
treated as above outlined, the rye, If not
all eaten off by stock, which viii be best,
should be turned under early, the potato
crop planted early and as soon as dug. II
tn object is to build up the soil for the
growing Of the finer vegetables for market
the land should be broken, narrowed fine
and planted again to COW peas. Harvest
the peas and SOW again to rye lining
again If needed, and past''re the rye as be-
fore. Remember to save everything on
the farm tat will MAZE fertilizer, and
use in connection with the above rota-
tior all the barn yard manure that can
be had. With this kind of care and treat
n.ent of soils one will soon have his land
ready for the growing Ct a large line of
crops
Some soil will need drainage, of course
I am glad to t last see our southern
farmers awakening to the necessity OF
| using tile for drainage. The other day
in passing through the state of Kentucky
] noticed thousands of tile hauled out on
TIA fields ready to be laid this spring. We
| have thousands of acres that will be
greatly benefited by the use OF tile drain
age Then everything possible should be
| done to prevent the washing of the soil.
AS our readers advance in soil building
and soil care they will become more and
more interested in this matter and will
stl dy IL until ti.ey can know what each
field or particular piece of land needs
most.
Mistake to BE Avoided.
But l want to repeat here again that IL
our readers expect to build up their lands
f. the growing OF such crops as will pay
they must quit the practice OF pasturfnR