The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-10

Hairy Netch IL Rapidly Becoming
One of the Most Popular Winter
oiovcrs-Mcrits of the Crop and
How to Get a stand.

h"iu IN Soutn Carolina. Planters
around Augusta began growing this
crop about 25 years ago. but its Gull
ture was confined almost solely to the
savannah River bottoms. Recently
farmers all over the state have been
making experiments In a small way.
until In 1910 there We're approximately
l'VVO fields grown i'm South Carolina.
Nearly half OF these were failures, be-
cause the necessary requirements
were not provided: where proper
methods were followed the paintings
were uniformly successful and good
Yields were obtained i'm practically
every case. AS a rule. for all con-
ditions OF soil. vetch has given better
results than any other winter legume.
although under favorable conditions.
bur clover. red clover. and crimson
clover have also done well.
In South Carolina vetch Is planted
in the fall. 1t grows through the
winter, preventing teaching and
washing OF the otherwise exposed
soil. and natures In the spring in
time to follow with corn, sorghum.
cowpeas and sometimes cotton. Be-
ing legume. II contains a high per-
centage OF protein. and consequently
makes valuable pasture and hay. 1t
improves the soil In the same way as
do cowpeas. that Is by means of the
nodule-forming bacteria. which takes
nitrogen from the air and adds il to
the soil through the nodules formed
on the roots of the plant. The yield
Of cowpeas following vetch is in
creased more than the yield of vetch
following cowpeas. In fact. vetch
VIII usually improve the land more
rapidly than will cowpeas.
Causes OF Failure.
The failures in vetch growing have
been due mainly to planting the
wrong species. seeding at the wrong
time. and lack of inoculation. There
are three species of vetch in South
Carolina. the native. the common
and the hairy The native vetch is
used primarily in meadows and pas
lures where 1t grows and natures
early In the spring before the native
grasses occupy the land. AS ii is
difficult to save the seed. it is not
used to any extent In cultivated
fields. The common vetch (also
called the spring. Oregon and En-
glish vetch) Is not so hardy as the
other species. 1t requires a moist
loamy soil for best results. and does
not do well in dry years or on sandy
soils. IL is also subject to winter
killing at temperatures lower than
15 degrees. Fahrenheit. 80 that In
some winters even where good
stand Is secured. the plants may all
be winter-killed.
The hairy vetch (sometimes called
winter and sand vetch) is the hard
lest species grown in South Carolina,
and should be planted In preference
To the others. especially by begin
ners. although the cost of seeding is
greater. IL does well on ordinary
soils and will stand a great deal Of
cold and dry weather IL IL once gets
proper start. September or early
October is the best time for sowing.
although under favorable conditions
later planting may do well. vetch
should be planted in time for the
roots to become we'll established in
the soil and inoculated before cold
or dry weather sets i'm. In 1910.
owing To the severe spring drought.
late paintings of vetch were pract-
cally failures. while the earlier seed
ings made excellent yields.
incubation often Necessary.
No one should attempt 10 plant
vetch without providing the inocula-
ton necessary to produce the no.
dulles on the roots. Some soils al
ready contain plenty of bacteria for
this purpose. but IL is not advisable
to take the risk Of an insufficient
supply Where vetch has once
grown on land successfully. no fur
ther inOculation need be used unless
the land has not been planted in
vetch for several years. There are
various ways by which this inocula
tion can be secured. Cultures fur
nished 10y the United states Depart
ment OF Agriculture have proved
successful on some soils while on
others they have failed. by plant
ing vetch year after year on the same