Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-07-28
CERTAIN INFLUENCES AFFECTING
THE PRODUCTION OF THE CROP

Therefore in % inches and the area of
an acre there were 7.11O pounds of nj
trogen. Most farmers break their land
four inches deep. and the roots OF the
plant necessarily feed near the surface
and in the first few inches of soil. They
do not rea.ize the gold mine Of plant
food which lies just below the area they
are cultivating Presenting that plant
will strike into the soil to twice as
great a depth as the breaking of the
land. il is easy to see that in soils bro
ken IA to is inches deep, the plants
may readily feed to uepth of "a to -
inches. In fact. on soils which are nov
too heavy, the roots of plants often de-
scsnd 10 deuth OF five feet or more.
The farmer who breaks his land to
depth of four inches is giving his plant
really a chance. therefore, to unullze
from one-fourth TO one-half or the
amount of plant food which his SOIL
contains. Is any more potent argument
needed TO show the necessity for deep
blowing and thorough soil preparation
than this? Moreover. the deep plow-
ing of the soil facilitates the entrance
of air. sunshine and water. These agen-
cies working together give the SOIL
greater power to transform and elabo-
rate plant food than il would otherwise
possess. This being true, can we long
or doubt the desirability of deep, thor
.ourh preparation of the soil, for 1T
would appear that any farmer realizing
these facts would change his practice
at once. and in truth, thousands OF
farmers have done IT, and others Will 90
il Just as fast as they realize that this
discussion as based on a consideration
of natural factors and not on theories
Those who contemplate growing crops
and increasing their yields in an eco
nouical manner must ever bear in mind
the necessity of deep and thorough
preparation of the soil in order that
the natural agencies concerned IN crop
production may have an opportunity 70
perform their work in a satisfactory
manner.
SORGHUM AND COWPEAS AS HAY
CROP.
NJ J., Homeland. Ca, writes: What DO
you think of sorghum and copweas for
hay crop for this part of the country on
newly broken ground after being treated
with the ground rock lime? How long
does 1t require for the crop to matureg
In sowing broadcast, which / shall prob
ably have to do. would you mix the seed
or SOW each separately
Sorghum and cowpeas make a very
good combination to SOW for hay. We
have used the crop extensively at vari-
Gus times. AS this mixture is somewhat
difficult 20 cure, we do not advise the use
Of large quantities of sorghum. A peck
Of sorghum to a bushel and a half of
cowpeas will be about the right proper
ton 20 use where you contemplate SOW
ing broadcast. Among the best varieties
OF cowpeas to use are Warren's Extra
Early. the whippoorwill. Clay. Wonder
full. Iron and crowder. Good varieties OF
sorghum are Redhead and Amber. The
seed Of the two crops may be mixed to-
gether and sown broadcast at one time.
We have never secured as satisfactory a
yield from broadcasting peas and sor-
ghum as from drilling, but. Of course. If
the land is rough. one must often resort
to broadcasting, and occasionally when
seasonal and soil conditions are exactly
right, as fine a crop is secured from
broadcasting as from drilling. You
should be careful to harrow the ground
after broadcasting and be sure to cover
the seed as uniformly as possible. We
have planted cowpeas as late as the 18th
of August in this locality. OF course, a
large crop was not secured. but vines Is
inches high have been obtained before
frost and as much as ton of hay gath
cred to the acre. A large enough growth
has been secured 10 turn under for the
Improvement of the land TO make the
practice profitable. When planting peas
as late as August Is. il is probably not
advisable to SOW sorghum with IL, as sor-
ghum is a rather long seasoned crop.
GROWING ALFALFA IN SOUTH
GEORGIA.
W. A. c.. AbbeviIle, Ca, writes:
want TO experiment some with alfalfa
in wiregrass Georgia want to use lime
on the alfalfa and would like to know
what is the best kind TO use. Also where
can alfalfa seed be obtained?
Judging from what you say YOU have
not seeded your alfalfa yet, and IL this
be true you should bear in mind that the
land should be well prepared for this
crop. II is important that you clean the
land of crab grass and other weeks by
growing another crop. such as velvet
beans, cowpeas and soy beans. These
crops should be plowed under for the en-
richment of the land as most of our land
is deficient in vegetable matter. Alfal-
IA likes a soil well supplied with this
material After blowing under the crop
from the 18th Of September TO the LIST of
October. then apply caustic lime at the
rate OF one ton per acre. Put il on as
surface application. scattering uniform
ly over the ground, work into the soil
with a harrow. then allow at least two
weeks to elapse before sowing the alfal-
IA. Use % pounds of recleaned Ameri-
can grown seed. and fertilize the crop
well with 1000 pounds of a formula con-
tanning 10 per cent of phosphorus. 3 per
cent of nitrogen and per cent of potash.
Sow about the 18th of October If seasonal
conditions are at all favorable. The Col
orado Experiment station at Fort Col
Inns can probably give you information
as 10 where you can purchase the best
grade OF alfalfa seed grown in that sec
tion of the country. Where one has an
abundance of vegetable matter in the
soil and plenty of time in which to pre-
pare the land, the finely ground limestone
rock may be used as a substitute for the
caustic lime. At least two or three tons
per acre should be applied. however, and
you should be sure that the lime runs
high in carbonate and relatively low in
magnesia. This latter suggestion also APP