The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-19

ne department OF Agriculture OF
the State of Virginia recently issued
tho following:
Farming in Virginia is gradual ly
taking on new life and soon promises
TO occupy d place Of Importance never
heretofore enjoyed. Virginia is natural
~ great agricultural state and must
remain so. Her climate and markets
make this an easy prcdiction
Our farmers arc more hopeful. more
prosperous, better contcnted, receiving
good prices for their products. and do.
ing better farming. AS evidence OF this
there was in cultivation in 1900, $780,
339 acres; in 1910, 3,350.500 acres, but
Notwithstanding this falling OF Of nun
Der Of acres in cultivation. The cro,,
IN 1910 was nearly double that In 1900.
rms means that the farmer prepared
MS land more carefully, cultivated
more thoroughly and gathered his
crops in better coituition.
Many OF our farmers arc beginning
10 realize and appreciate that agriclll-
ture Is science and that slipshod
illethods have no more place in farm
ing than i'll commercial enterprises
Our farmers are doing more thinking
more reading. and consequently adopt.
ing better methods. They are MAKING
many requests for agricultural
bulletins Some OF our tillcrs or the
SOIL are beginning TO buy their for
tilizer by the formula and arc NOT
longer mislcd by The catchy brand
nane, which means nothing. The day
4 successful farmer.
- Is Il well known fact that tho
pest business men make the best farm
e's' 10 succeed as a farmer means
20 make a study OF the soil and the
Gn'pioSment of such methods as will
Improve ana maintain the fertility m
~ SOIL ana the larger use OF grass
.rops' men 1t naturally follows that
.noIc stock must be kept, and in doiur
l,iiS tncre Is returned to the soil The
piaht 1000 growing crops use
Hog Cholcrn.
ne last Legislature passed a law
"u.noF,1ms the Commissioners or ,Acri.
culture to secure hog cholera Serum,
ana furnish II to the farmers ar COS,
:. =, bulletin has been issued sivine. fulI
e IONS LOT administering tho serum
- ~" 70 diagnose the disease. The
protection that this serum gives v.ill
put new life into the hog-raisin.- ~
unstrH. Virginia does not raise enough,
nosS 10 supply the home demand, Vel
no STATE can produce pork or bacon
"'ofe cheaplN than Virginia.
'r""inr sIfnifn In ,irginin.
o'''''i.ssloner koincr is pushing al.
laita. IN addition TO having printed
me valuable publication on the subject
ne ,'as tnd lectures delivered in every
rart OF the state, giving full inforrna
non on growing this valuable nlant
below Is summary found on the
'as. page OF the Alfalfa Bulletin:
at---A llalfa requires good land
~, reIoi,o-- n<l must be well drained
'rd-Supply a lack OF humus ana
oIsanic matter by blowing under n
c'Dp or cowpeas or crimson clover.
=. ouI th-os Sc lime literally. Alfalfa
.o =, iiiiie plant and without its use q
49, tasiufs. Ground limestone gives the
for esuies' Apply one ton a year
e.. o TOUR or five years or five tons the
hrst year or one ton of burnt lime
every two or three years
'i'--Dse literally barnyard ma
nurc or commercial fertilizer. Secure
sooa results from the use OF 500 TO
i,vVo pounds of If per cent. to l6 per
~ ac'd phosphate per acre.
ON NJ STANDARDIZATION OF weeds. which
are the greatest enemies Of this plant.
This is hest ACCOMPLISHED by brn.l,
ing up the land some time before
seeuins and running a spring tooth
''a u "W over lightly every week o.,
zen u'ES destroying the weeds as fast
as they terminate and appear. DR.
petler still, precede by a cron Of COW.
Peas' turn under or nov off the peas
"nu 80" crimson clover in the stubble
ah" tu'n the clover under the follow
ING spring. Then put on lime ana
surface cultivate until seeding linz
rms requires a years preparation M
1t will pay. - -
Sevcnth-Usc twenty 10 thirty
pounds Of seed TO the acre when tl1cro
IS sui'icient moisture in the land. IN
eastern half Of state seed from Au-
Sust - 10 September 10: in western
nan OF state August Is to September
Eighth-lnoculatc tho land with
sou from an alfalfa field.
~" 70 500 ndunds 10 the acre
Nihth-A'falfa is some hat easier to
cure than clover. Better be !, little
moist than ovcrcured.
-, AEricuiturnl Pure Seed LAW.
nc Legislature did another good
,n'i'g lor the benefit OF the farmers
IN me passage Of the seed ", having
for It's object the Improvement of Inn
quality Of our agricultural seed anu
ne elimination Of impurities and
weed seeds. Under this law the Com.
missioner Of Agriculture has employed
a seed ANALYST and fitted up suitable
apparatus for testing samples of farm
Sceds' me law permits any farmers,
who arc not dealers in seed, to send to
i''i'S'ollc! OF a Sr1cultNrc, frca
OF cos'' samples OF seed that he has
purchased or he may wish to have
"Hh ii''nca With a view of purchasing,
70 nave the purity and termination de-
!ernhcd Free Of cost TO the farmers
l'chiers arc required TO pay so cents
for each test.
Lime Inspection Lnw.
ln1 General Assembly also passed
|" 'a" TcIHliins all lines offered for