The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-15
WITH THE FARMERS
By Prof w. F. MASSEY


bushel go over an acre7 I SOW by
hand" And a very poor way to SOW
| wheat. The land should be made as
fine as possible. without replowing.
and the wheat is best sown with Il
wheat drill. which you can set TO SOW
ANY desired amount. The quantity of
wheat 10 SOW acre viii depend on
tho fertility OF tho soil. On rich soil.
wheat tillers or spreads more than on
poor land, and hence more seed is
needed on thin soil than on good land.
1t would have to be very strong land
where half a bushel will be enough.
have sown wheat in different amounts
on different soils up TO two-bushels an
acre on very thin land. .But, as an
average, l have found that five pecks
an acre is about tho best amount to
SOW. Get, II possible, q wheat drill, and
put the wheat in in the best manner.
Drilled in, the grain is put in the soil
at 4 uniform depth, and all terminates
together, while sown by hand the
quantity is uncertain, and the harrow
ing-in covers some too deep and other
grain not enough, and there is n
poorer termination. The best wheat
growers have long RSo abandoned
hand sowing.
Growing Mushrooms. etc.
i
pamphlet q few days ago from ----
in regard to growing mushrooms. IF
his statements are true there must be
money in them. If you have had any
experience IN raising them, Will YOU
please pass II on, rs I am thinking OF
trying them on small scale. l have
n nice lot of alfalfa seeded last fall.
cut il twice. 1t was very dry here III
August. AMI very little growth made,
weeks ago, ana il ia now about six
inches high and growing rapidly.
Must clip IL again. say. in about ten
days. or let IL go into winter with the
growth made inoculated it with
soil from another field. but can lind
no nodules on the roots. Sowed more
this fall. and used the artificial Gull
ture from the United states Depart
| mcnt OF Agriculture"
| My avice is 10 let the mushrooms
alone. unless you simply wish TO grow
| some for home consumption. ] have
! grown mushrooms for many years, and
/ can tell YOU just how TO do ii. and
the chances are that at first YOU would
utterly fail because YOU will omit
] some little thing YOU think unimpor-
taut There are lot of fellows try
| ing 10 get people TO growing lnush
irooms. telling the most wonderful
lies about the great profits and the
Z
| whole object OF these men Is 10 sell
YOU spawn ut two or three prices. That
is all they are after, for they know
that YOU will make nothing At 1t
Mushroom growing commercially de-
mands frost-proof. dark structures
usually underground. and command
Of an abundance OF fresh horse drop
pings. The price on the market for
good mushrooms will be more fire.
ouently - cents pound than more,
but these boomers Will tell YOU about
81 a pound, which price comes once III
a decade perhaps. Then to grow inush
rooms after YOU have the facilities Tor
il. YOU must have the particular ski
that the culture demands, and nave
never known an amateur 10 make
crop OF mushrooms the first time he
tries II you want 10 Try growing
mushrooms. YOU can get bulletin OF
the subject from the Department 81
Acr!cu!ture Then do not buy spawn
from the men who are booming the cui'
tu-c OF mushrooms, but get il for far
!. less money from the regular seed
houses Any seed house in Richmond
Will furnish you spawn for less money
THAN the boomers. for, IS l have said
spawn a. two or three prices Follow
the printed directions carefully. ane
after while YOU rlay learn how
q grow mushrooms il IS per
:rctl: easy when you once learn tn'
a-, II. market for mushrooms Is
pre,ty veil supplied Is growers IN th'
vicinity y the large cities, and taet
So no; ship we'll. and my advice i {
l-z7a - grow the:n and then grow
E:.zt you want 20 eat The mushroom
boomers. ,he ginseng boomers and t.l-
9--is roo, boomers ere al ii . class
zste- y6u- rnon=y. As % the alfalfa.
v11lf - ]: 20 into Winter With VIA
K ra&es Give i . good application al
-hc-zs phosphate - me spring.
Z : Lcrieaes. giving has post-ot.ic;
= Spr!rs Et!. Va wrote for etv!c:
-tT * September zat Enclosed Z
9 I'D replied 81 once. Now
@ I4,-e cones tack 'urcalied io--.
-s-r@- I'd thu: 3 razn s!ll give {
.--p@ ze6cess and as; for iator
.1 80 ,aen fail = cal! for III