Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-08

putting fertilizer on oats in the fall or
wait until spring?
BY all means plow the green crop down
as soon as you can conveniently do so.
1t will be better to turn it under before
frost falls il possible. The idea of sub
soiling your land is a very good one,
and it is more desirable to do the sub
soiling at this season of the year than
in the spring. We think it will be a
mistake, however, for you to turn the
land with a one-horse pillow. You should
certainly have two horses on the turning
pillow and two on the subsoil, because
you can not turn the land wide and
deep enough with one horse to do the
work thoroughly we'll We think you
should turn the land to a depth of
eight inches If you have never broken
1t that deep before If it has been bro
ken TO a good depth you may turn to a
depth of ten inches; then subsoil, as you
have suggested, so as not to bring the
clay to the surface. BY all means get
all the litter and compost together you
possibly can. If you have an abundance
ance of this material ii may be scattered
over the land broadcast. At this sea-
we'll, to turn it under so as to prevent
so much teaching and washing. If ap-
piled in the spring, it is better to put it
under the drill row. If you are so situa-
Of this material II may be scattered
and keep 1t moist and prevent 1t from
fire-fanging during the winter, you viii
get better results from composing the
manure and using under the drill row
rather than broadcasting at any other
season of the year. Where the manure
is broadcasted 1T should be we'll disked
into the soil before seeding is begun.
In our judgment II will be wise to ap-
ply commercial fertilizer on oats on most
Of our Georgia soils in the autumn as
well as in the spring. We would sug-
gest that from 800 to 500 pounds of an
1913 be used. On sandy lands we would
use 3 per cent Of nitrogen and per
cent of potash. OF course, the nitrogen
should be derived from an organic
source, and you will find 1T beneficial to
top-dress with nitrate of soda in the
spring in addition.
BY breaking the land deeply this fall
and allowing the vegetable matter to de-
cay and the ground to absorb and hold a
plentiful supply Of moisture, you should
put your land in ideal condition for crop
production next year, especially If you
are in position to supply it with vege-
table matter.
SEEDING LAND TO ALFALFA.
]. A, Millen, Ga. writes: We are
thinking of trying some alfalfa this fall,
and would like all the information you
can give us on the subject, in regard to
fertilization, incubation, etc.
..r
Alfalfa is a difficult crop to establish,
and one should not attempt to raise it
without being willing to expenr the
time and effort and money needed to
put the ground in ideal condition to re-
ceive the crop. Even then you may ex-
perience failure and consequent disap-
pointment The most important thing
to do is to prepare your land thoroughly
by breaking ii as deeply as possible and
subsoiling. If you have made no prepa-
rations for fall planting up to this time,
we doubt the advisability of seeding
alfalfa before another year. If you have
broken the land well, seed IT to criHp-
son clover. This should be done as soon
as practicable. Turn under the clover
and seed to cowpeas again next spring.
Then turn the peas under, say in late
August or early September and prepare
the land for alfalfa. The crimson clover
should be fertilized with about 500
pounds of an S-1-4 fertilizer, and the
cowpeas with about 500 pounds of a
1914 formula. When you have plowed
the peas under in the fall of 1913, pre-
pare the best seed bed possible. Use at
least one ton of oaustic lime scattered
over the surface of the ground, and we
would suggest that you lime your land
this fall before seeding the crimson
clover. In other words, two tons of
caustic lime should be used in the pre-
paration of the soil for alfalfa. If you
do not care to use the oaustic lime, you
may apply the finely ground rock. In
that event you should apply two tons
at each application. The lime should be
put on ten days to two weeks before
planting the crop. Then apply 1000
pounds of fertilizer containing 10 per
cent of potash. If your land is a very
heavy clay soil, probably per cent Of
potash will answer all right, though al
falfa feeds heavily on this element Of
plant food and liberal fertilization is
advisable. Use American seed and sow
at the rate of 20 pounds per acre, scat
tering on the surface of the ground and
working in with a harrow. Do not use
a nurse crop.
You may think this is a laborious set
of directions, but our experience indi-
Gates that few farmers succeed in OBJ
tanning permanent stand of alfalfa
with less effort than here Indicated, and
If we are to do the right thing by our
correspondents. 1t is only fair that we
should state the case as our experience
and observation seem to Justify.
CLARIFYING CANE SYRUP.
w. z. NJ, Bolivar, Pa, writes: would
like to know what to put in raw cane
juice to clarity it so it will be nice and
bright. Some people use soda hut that
turns the molasses red.
The matter of clarifying sorghum or
cane syrup is a rather difficult under
taking. Much effort has been expended
In this direction The impurities i'm
sorghum cane vary greatly with the sea-