Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1908-06-12
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Valuable Information to Pacific North
west irquirers.
By Professor Elliott. Washington State College
Pullman

Pullman, April 25.-This week the
Washington State College experiment
station received the following inquiry
from W. L. R., who resides in Seattle:
"I wish some practical suggestions
from you relative to the best grasses
or grains to SOW on upland in Kitsap
County, on sandy loan, which dries out
too early in dry seasons to produce most
crops. After having been cleared of,
this land was allowed to grow up with
young FIR ard ferns. Sowing rye in the
fall, and blowing the rye under in the
spring to plant potatoes has been rec
ommended to me, but ,o far as / know
little experimenting has been done in
Kitsap County on upland soil. There
are beds of muck near the land. Would
1t be advisable to pile and dry this muck
and later use it as a dressing for straw
berry plants, small fruits, and in start
ing apple treesi"
Professor Elliott replied: ~ believe
that the best grass for the region you
msnion is orchard grass, although
have found italian rye grass doing quite
well. The land 10 much benefited by
the application of land plaster, or gyp-
sum. l doubt very much if you could
use muck as fertilizer, unless it was
worked over quite thoroughly before
using. Most muck soils are in con-
dition that we call inert; that is, they
are dead SO far As practical crop-grow-
ing 10 concerned, and need first to be
acted upon by the weather and sunshine
and bacteria, which are efficient in re-
dssming land. Much Of the land il
Kitsap County, az well A. swamp lands,
are in this condition. You will find the
application Of barnyard manure very
beneficial also, but I believe the best
way 10 to treat tho land with lime and
land plaster; then follow with clover
and such ether crops m may be de-
sired"
A. @. T., residing near Cove, WASH,
writes: "Can you give me any infor-
nation as to whether chicken manure ID
too strong, and will thus burn and in
jure strawberry plants, II put directly
on the crown Of the planti In this re-
gion very little livestock is kept, SO
that manure for fertilizing purposes il
| rather scarce.
, "Another point wish to bring up il
milk fever is suspected. I lost one
good animal from milk fever last fall
and do not wish to take any more
chances, if I can help it,
The station replied: "In using CHECKER
manure as fertilizer it is better tc
! apply it in liquid form. This form Of
fertilizer is very high in its nitrogen
content, and also contains consider
able quantity of potash. Put the ma
nure in barrel or trough, then throw
E water on it, later applying the liqui'
r 10 the ground about the plants. Do no
, touch the plants with the liquid. Thi
/ would give you better results than i
, used in the dry form.
, Gas . preventive of milk fever, "
, advise a reduction in the amount o
,, grain feed, and an increase in food o
. succulent nature. Roots, grasses, o
; dlage would all be good, but too mucl
grain food might induce milk fever
You had better make a study Of tn
! means Of checking milk fever by the in
r jection Of oxygen with small syringe.
l "Dodder is destroying my clover,
| writes J. o. c., from Rochester. "Ho,
may 1 check iti'
Professor Elliott replied: "Dodde
is usually planted with clover, and afte
becoming established in the soil, fai
tens its tendrils to the clover, or othe
plants which may be growing. Finall
It loses its attachment to the plant
and becomes a true, parasitic plant. I
saps tho life Of the 'host plant upo
which it lives, and if it becomes yer,
strong in its growth, will eventuall
destroy the host. To control it, Gu
out the patches of clover where it az
pears, early in the season, before 1t ha
formed seed. Rake this cut clover uI
and burn it before it becomes dry. B
this means the seed is prevented fror
seeding, and as the plant itself is dc
. stroyed, there is little probability Of tn
l. dodded growing the following season.
!, E. E. s., of Walla Walla, wants t
. know how to kill the morning glor
weed" He was informed that:
!, "The determination Of this weed
u the hardest weed problem that the ea
pertinent station has faced. The plan
: IL one Of the most difficult weeds t
kill, but its redeeming feature is tha
It does not spread rapidly. 1t stay
whore it gets its first start. Smother
. ing by heavy applications of straw, o
manure, is fairly successful method
but cutting it off only makes it grov
more rapidly. 1t is probable that
cutting before the application of tn
mulch would be advantageous."
Milo M. Hastings, physiologics
chemist Of Christians School of Al
piled Food Chemistry, of New Yor
City, writes as follows:
81 am collaborating with Professc
Suzuki, Of the Agriculture Departmer
Of japan, with the view of furtherin
the introduction of the soy bean int
this country. I wish to obtain tn
most reliable and latest data as to tn
results thus far obtained in soy bea