Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-07-18


SUGGESTIONS RELATIVE TO SOY
BEANS.
A. NJ. w, Tullahoma, Tenn, writes: In
a late issue of The Journal, w. H. c.,
of Cohutta, Ca. inquiries for a way to
eradicate wild onions. If he will grow
soy beans he will find them quite as
good and effective as a smother crop
and far more valuable as a forage crop
than velvet beans think in his lati-
tude they are much more easily cut,
cured and cared for, and quite as eff
fectual in the eradicating process. and
cost far less for seed likely There are
two kinds of wild onions some seed or
button in the fall, and some in the
spring. II w. II. c.. will pillow under,
the fall onions in November and the
spring crop in March or April before
they mature seed, putting them seven
to nine inches under ground, few II any,
of them win survive. Then disk shallow
and harrow few times through the
spring and plant to soy or velvet June 1
to Is he may look for good crop Of
beans and few or no onions. If not all
killed the first time repeat the process.
1t will be good for the land. good for
the crops, and cure the onions.
Thet soy bean is an excellent crop,
and as has frequently been called to
the attention of the readers of these
columns is a better crop for the pro-
duction of grain than the cowpea. AS
smother crop, however. ii does not COM
pare with either the cowpea or the vel
vet bean for the section OF Georgia under
discussion. This statement is based on
an experience of is years in growing
these crops. As a matter of fact, the
velvet bean is infinitely superior to the
soy bean as a smother crop in any sec
ton of Tennessee with which the wri-
ter is acquainted, and having been large
ly instrumental in introducing the Gull
tivation of soy beans and velvet beans
into that state, he at least has some
knowledge of climatic and soil condi-
tions. 1t is true that the soy bean Is
easier to cut and cure as hay than either
the cowpea or the velvet bean, and as
1t is a member of the family of legumes,
1t enriches the soil to some extent by
the nitrogen gathered from the air.
Velvet bean seed in this section is as
cheap as soy bean seed because 1t Is not
necessary to plant half so much per
acre to secure a perfect stand. On the
college farm for soil Improvement pur-
poses velvet beans have been found SUI
perior to the soy beans. For grazing by
hogs the soy bean is far in the lead
and for grain production 1t stands SUI
perior to the cowpea For smother pur-
poses the velvet bean far surpasses the
others.
II is true that blowing under onions
very deeply at the time suggested VIII
be of benefit in checking their growth.
and that a smother crop following VIII
he one of the best methods to follow IN
Graduating them. These are sugges-
lions however which have already peen
made TO our correspondents. We are glad
to have our readers give us the beneft
of their experience.
WILT DISEASE OF THE TOMATO.
w. r. W., Eliza, Ca, writes: My tonna-
toes are dying out. The leaves commence
drawing up at the top and keep on that
way until they die completely. Please
tell me what to do to prevent this.
Without specimens of the diseased
plants to which you refer, it is impossi-
BILE to tell definitely what the trouble with
your tomatoes may be. Many plants have
been killed this summer by the attempt
of the grower to water them. Too much
water has often been used and 1t has
been applied in the heat of the day.
On account of the ground being so dry
this has resulted in scalding the plants.
Your trouble is. however, more likely
due to what Is known as the wilt disease
of the tomato which is quite similar in
its general characteristics to that of the
black root or wilt disease Of cotton. This
trouble can not be checked with any
treatment with which we are familiar,
and is always aggravated by growing
on the same land. year after year. You
should take up and burn any affected
plants. You should also rotates your
crops; that is, grow the tomatoes on a.
different section of the garden each year.
Some attempt is now being made to pro-
duce what Is known as a resistant or i'm
mune strain of tomato to this trouble.
So far as / know, the seed is not on the
market in any considerable quantity. II
you find tomatoes growing vigorously in
the midst OF affected areas, II would pay
you to save some of the seed from these
to plant next year as they represent
what would be termed by plant breeders
'immunes" and II is only. from plants
such as these that we can hope to Sc
cure seed for planting in affected ground
FERTILIzING RIBBON CANE WITH
NITROGEN
j. H. B.. Odessadale. Ca, writes: I
have a ribbon cane crop that 1 want to
put nitrate of soda on. And / do not
Know what effect II Will have on the
syrup, 1 am afraid to apply it without
advice from you.
There is no objection to using moder-
ate amount of nitrate of soda as a top
dressing on ribbon cane. 1t occurs to us,
however. that you should make this appli-
cation at the earliest possible date, as IT
is now the season of the year when you
would naturally desire to stimulate the
growth Of the crops. The best way TO
apply nitrate of soda is along side the
drill row, but as a top dressing and do
not cover it into the soil at all. II the
ground is very dry cover it into the soil
Nitrate of soda contains it's nitrogen, in
form Immediately useful to plans If dis
solved in water and the soil water will
quickly take the element up and make
ii available to the growi crop One
hundred to $50 pounds Of nitrogen of soda
applied in two applications from two to
four weeks apart should not in any way
injure the syrup-producing qualities of
your cane crop. The excessive use of nj
trate may tend to produce leaves and
stalk at the expense of saccharine mat
ter, but the amount suggested for soil
of the type found in your locality should
not prove injurious.
SPAWN AND RING BONE IN
HORSES.