The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-21

will put the soil in good condition and
make profitable hay crop. Every far
mer knows this. But when and how to
apply the manure SO as to secure the
best results for our grass crop becomes
/ an important step. not only for the
grass crop. but equally. IL not more I'M
portant. for the grain crops to follow.
and especially the corn.
The old way which obtains to the
. present day, Is to put the manure on
the raw land just ahead Of the corn
and other grain crops Tests made
at many of our experiment stations
have proven conclusively that the
right place to apply the manure is
on the sod and grass crop. Humus is
what we want for not only soil i'm
provement. but for crop production,
ard by applying the manure as a top
dressing the roots go down deeper and
multiply and decay in the soil and
add Vegetable matter, a4ld as result
a field treated in this way will yield
a larger grain crop from the manure
used ard at the same time give an
increased yield of hay. Manure ap-
piled tire years ahead of corn crop
has given an increased yield of this
cereal over an application made on
the raw land just before planting. Six
to eight loads of manure to the acre
spread thinly with the manure spread
er will show surprising results. Fer
tilzer suited to the grass crop applied
on the sod just as the new growth
PUTS out In the spring will give profit
able returns. AS to the kind OF fer
tilizer to use depends very largely
on the kind of hay we may have. II
hay containing a large per cent OF
nln Is ~ hA
materials that supply large amounts
OF phosphoric acid and potash and
relatively small amounts of nitrogen
should be used. II the hay is largely
timothy then the nitrogen should be
increased. Stag meal Is one OF the
best, fertilizers I'VE can, use for the
grass crop and highly recomme ended
AS a spring application put on 500
pounds to the acre this material be-
sides supplying phosphoric acid will
furnish considerable quantity of
free lime which helps to sweeten the
soil. Nitrate of soda at the rat of 125
pounds In the spring as a top dress
often pays.
Preparatory Village for Grass Crop.
The fact IL now much more appre,
ciated than formally that it pays to
bring and in the best of tilth in the
loI SCNtiilE. NeitSlut pio"
ing. following by numerous harrow
ings, will in all cases be necessary.
The soil at the time Of seeding should
be fine and mellow at the top and
moderately compact below.
Sesxling.
In the purchase of grass seed. buy
the best, take nothing bu. standard
seed. Under the Virginia iced law
all seed offered on the market are
required either to name the weed reed
they contain. and II reaching such
standard OF purity and geniiinaness
as has been prescribed by the board
Of agriculture shall be marked
standard. 1t Is wise to obtain samples
and have them tested before pur-
CHASING. The department of agricul-
ture will be glad 10 have any samples
of seed examined free Of charge for
the farmers. and a charge uf fifty
cents a sample for seed dealers will
be required. In the purchase OF
clover 1t IN now especially important
20 be on guard against dodder. Dod-
der II q parasite which II It once
obtains q foothold ID hard to get
rid Of and clover seed should be
examined carefully In order to de-
tect this weed. Ono Of the chief
troubles In getting good stand OF
grasv II the iHck OK see0 - per cent.
Of our farmers undertake to cur
tail tho expenee o1 eeedtN9 - this
junctuse, ~ - IN a VfNEk 80
lAh0Es q ~ II \ y u ~ ss&S \