The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-05

Z
the weather. Perhaps the Virginia
Experiment Station at Blacksburs or
the superintendent of the Chatham
supstation nearer by you, can tell YOU
something about the value OF these
ashes from actual analysis. do not
think / would undertake to clear them
OF refuse and haul and freight them.
Some Hints From n Reader.
II live In large city. but have
never lost my love for agricultural
pursuits. l read your talks with tho
farmers with avidity and the deepest
interest. If the young men who quit
the farms and rush to the cities be-
cause Farming does not pay could
be induced to read and put in practice
your instructions, which. TO my mind,
are models OF utility, the tide would
flow back to country life. and these
same boys would soon be piling up
bank accounts. in addition to making
the old farm blossom as the rose
In making your instructions more
valuable. these talks" should be prop
erly fled and classified by the readers
OF The Times-Dispatch. have found
the following a simple way: Write the
date at the top of the columns; cut out
and paste in an old book. from which
each alternate page has been torn.
Then make a card index, an outfit for
which can be had OF any stationer. but
4 paper box with white cards VII
answer, and l need not dwell OH the
value of fling this useful material
daily l hope that you will continue
to write and tell the farmers what they
want to know in The Times Dispatch.
No part of the paper is of greater
value to them, and the State"
am always glad to get appreciative
letters from men OF intelligence All
no Nyb INT in far In,
will read tho letters. but the great
difficulty is TO get the men whom I
wish most to get hold Of. to read them.
The mGh who are down in the old ruts,
consulting the moon and following the
old methods in farming. The men who
do not believe in book farming and
who are not making a success in their
kind OF farming. If we can rouse up
these men, and show them where they
can improve, it will be worth all the
labor it takes to reply to these let
ters Those that appear in print are
really a small part OF those l receive.
for when man writes on q matter
that is Of interest to no one but him
self. if he encloses q stamp, l send him
reply by mail, and this year up to
this date august 2D l have written
personal replies 10 2.61O letters since
the beginning of the year. In this
L
many OF the "mossbacll' farmers and
read them a lecture.
Campbell County: please tell If the
Scuppernong grape can be grown down
in Norfolk County. and whether
peaches and apples will thrive there"
The Scuppcrnong grape thrives in Nor
folk County as we'll as anywhere in
the country. In fact. il is perfectly
at home there. 1t thrives where
1--we. but l am near the northern limit
Peaches and apples will grow in Nor
folk County. but not TO the same quail
" that they Will in Campbell County.
If Johnson grass will stand your
winters success fully / fear that your
nciChbors would have cause to find
fault with YOU for starting IT, 1t
wants the whole country when IL once
gets started. and l would not advise
it's introduction where it has not al
ready appeared. Write to the secrc-
tary Of agriculture and ask for sample
Of the Sudan grass for trial II is
said TO be equal TO johnson grass. and
VIII not become a pest
What Ono Secs on the Rond
] was driving in the country yes
ierday and ! passed two farms only
separated by the county road Both
belonged 10 men of fair means. on the
one side Of the road was field OF
corn that had been planted on a Grim
son clover seed. II was very heavy
growth, and green to the ground and
gave a promise OF making near seven
!, r., bushels Of corn an acre. The
fed has been cultivated in the best
manner and left perfectly level, and
the land was clean of weeds and grass
ON the other side of the road was
also field OF corn. II was yellowish
in color. and the lower blades were
drying up and fred nearly 10 the ears.
1t had been banked up with turning
pillow in laying by, and. OF course. the
roots had been torn and the feeding
portions largely cut of. The field
looked as though il may possible make
twenty bushels, but would not vouch
Tor even that much. The two fields
were almost Identical in the character
of the soil. Both were level sandy
fields with good clay subsol The
only difference was that on the one
farm the owner is adopting the best
methods OF farming and improving his
land, and is growing forage crops and
buying beef cattle to feed in winter,
and he makes manure. OF course
The other man is still following the
methods OF his grandfather, and does
not believe IN book farming. and with
the example OF his ncighbor right
across the road he complains that his
land is poor, while he is ping it
poor He has eyes, but he sees not
that good farming pays. while his sort
does not And We find these cases all
over the land. l can see them from
railroad train. Heavy fields of corn
right alongside of fields that will
hardly feed the mule that worked il.
Ana the amazing thing IS that the
poor farmer does not see the reason
Of his poor land. can see in almost
any section nelds that the owner knew.
II he knew anything that paying
crop OF corn could not be expected on
II in It's present condition And yet
he plants il and spends the whole
summer cultivating il after his fashion.
working hard probably. and hardly
making hireling's wages. And they
do this year after year in spite OF
every good example they see every day
al around them. How are we TO ge,
at these men? The main hope that
can see is in the demonstration work
properly carried ou:. Yesterday / met
one of the department demonstration
ascnts. He told me that nc was going
into ;he adjoining county to organize
the work there. ] suggested that he
do look a h. r,,a,, Who a,... 49,.