The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-06-21
ERuta Baga Turnips and Alfalfa.


$$sssSsThe reason why we associate these
$tWo crops is because the character OF
Sthe' soil and the preparation Of the
Gland and fertilizer for both are very
Similar until time comes to SOW seeds.
fES$After broadcasting stable and other
manure over stubble land turn the
&whole under as deep as possible,
I smooth surface and then roll or run
4 %smoothing-board over. This packing
&down smooth preserves the moisture
E8and causes all foul seed to sprout
ssS3that is near surface. Repeat this
&harrowing rolling every eight to twel-
Eve. days until time to plant. This cul-
8tivation with harrow and following
: with roller destroys weed seed, (the
, great enemy of both crops,) and at
B the same time fires the soil and brings
&the moisture up to the surface where
%the young plants need it. If CONNER
3Scial fertilizers are to be used this
$should be applied by narrowing in
ySS about week before planting the
titseed. AS to how much fertilizer to
y apply T could not advise without
\ knowing the land. But it is safe to
state that the deeper preparation OF
Y the soil the more fertilizer can be
y used and less on shallow soil, as the
amount of humus or rotted leaf mold
! in the soil governs the amount OF
moisture stored there for the use OF
plants in dry weather, it is never safe
to apply a large quantity Of com
mercial fertilizers to lands destitute
Of humus and depend entirely upon
rainfall to supply the necessary mols-
ture continuously at proper intervals
to dissolve plant food for the plants
IS needed.
We have had good results with say
400 pounds high grade acird phos-
pirate, 100 pounds kainit, and 200
pounds cotton meal per acre. Wood
ashes, lime or land plaster are IN
many cases cheaper and do better
than kainit, but more pounds should
be used. If lime, plaster or ashes are
used this should be applied at time
of breaking the lar6.
Seeding Turnips: Mark of rows
20 to 30 inches wide, about one and
half or two inches deep, drill in
the seed, and cover by rolling a COM
mon wheelbarrow once or twice in
furrow. This packing the seed down
! in the moist soil IN the bottom OF
4 the trench out Of danger from scorch-
ing sunshine insures good stand and
! permits working in a little loose dirt
about the young plants that given ad-
q ditional protection from scorchlng
sunshine. Cultivate with a very light,
small weeder or harrow at first, fin
4 ishing up with large cultivators. Thin
Hout to width Of common hand hoe. In
\ the Piedmont section planting may be
4 done from middle Of August to mid
/ die Of September. The later plant
y ings are less woody, more nutritious
J and keep better through the winter.
i Bank as you would potatoes.
4 Planting Alfalfa or h,cerne Seed:
4 If you have the soil in fine telth and
4 comparatively free from weed seed,
as will be the case if You have COM
4 menced preparing the soil in time,
i there is no doubt In my mind that
4 thick broadcast seeding is preferable
I to seeding in the drill. The only adj
vantage in drill-seeding is that it
fpermits the killing Of weeds and grass
Ny cultivating after planting, and my
experience is that if cultivating is