The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-19
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W. +. Massey. compared with ,hig
upper Piemont country You have
lvcd In Albemarle and should know
all about it, and have "A notion of
changing to a milder section"
The whole OF the Peninsula. known
as the Eastern shore has much
inildcr climate than the same latitude
west of the bay, owing to the influence
of the ocean on one side and the bay
on the other
The lower counties OF Maryland and
the two counties on the Eastern Shore
Of Virginia have generally a level
sandy soil finely suited 10 trucking
and immense crops Of early Irish and
sweet potatoes are grown. and also
strawberries. blackbeTries and all sorts
of vegetable crops for shipping North
and the transportation is rapid BY rail
and water. The climate even UP near
the northern end OF the peninsula is
inilder in winter than in Albcmarlc
and down on the Virginia counties il
IS very much milder. ana there is very
little ice and snow In winter. where
live in the southeast corner OF Mary
land our truckers are now shipping
duly - cucunbers. and have had a
very successful season with straw
berries, and arc now shipping the
blackberry crop There are about 900
acres in canteloupes around here that
viii soon toe ready ana every farmer
plants Il field OF tomatoes for the can
ming houses OF which there are over
nifty in this one county. The PENN
suia, including Delaware, packs the
bulk Of the tomato crop Of the United
States Land was formerly low in
price, but has now advanced realty.
and small farms with good buildings
sell readily for Sl25 an acre.
From Accomac "Wnl you please give
me directions for rotation OF crops
for the benent OF the soil?" \ rotation
in any section will depend on what is
the main money crop. You are in
county largely devoted 70 the produc-
ton Of early Irish and sweet potatoes
and YOU do not say whether YOU are
simply aiming 10 improve the land
through a general system OF farming
with grain crops or whether you in
tend 10 grow the usual crops % Acco-
mac The great fault have seen in
tn" cultivation OF tn" land in Accomac
IS that the farmers devote their land to
their potato crops. and depend on FER
tilzcrs. and neglect the general inn
provcmcnt OF the soil through the
growing OF lcgumcs and proper ro-
tation. Passing through Accomac and
Northampton in winter one Is pained
TO see the great areas OF land left bare
all winter 10 leach fertility. Then. dur
ing the winter, the sweet potato grow
crs laboriously rake UP and haul on
their land the leaves and trash from
the pine woods to pillow under for the
sweet potato crop. when they could
have gotten far better humus making
material by sowing crimson clover In
the fall. to turn under for the sweet
potatoes one grower said to me that
II they did this X would make the
sweet potato crop too late. But II is
not necessary 10 wait till the clover
is full crown II Will pay better than
pine leaves II turned under when half
grown for that matter. but usually IL
blooms early enough for the sweet
potato crop Accomac growers make
money IN their crops. and II Is hard TO
argue against q success, but. aside from
the potato crops. the general farming
in those counties Is OF the poorest.
and the average corn and oats crops
are much smaller than they should be.
Now. FOR the general farm improve
ment. leaving the potato crops out OF
the question, and referring to general
farm crops Tho first thing that strikes
= stranger in Accomac IS the blowing
Of the land with little one-horse plows.
Scratching the land three or four
inches deep may do for sweet potatoes.
but for the Improvement OF the land
for grain. YOU should use. even on that
light soil. two-horsc plows and cult-
Vators and break the land six 10 eight
inches deep.
starting. then, with the corn crop, do
not follow the general practice in Ac-
comac and put one-ho'se turning
low into the cornfeld and bar OF the
land and then throw IL back, but after
planting the corn. go over II with
smoothing harrow before X comes up.
and as soon as up. start the weedeI
over both ways. and keep il going till
the corn is six inches high. Then use
the two-horse riding cultivator, work
ing both sides OF the rows at once. ana
you Will never need a pillow in the field
after planting Just before he last cul-
iivatIon SOW a bushel an acre OF Whip
porwill peas down the middles and cul-
tlvatc them in. When the corn is we'll
glazed, cut it off AT the ground and
cure il in shocks, making the shock
rows wide apart. Then, II the peas
have not made a very rank growth,
chop them down with disk harrow.
going over boIh ways till the surface
Is made fine, and then SOW two bush
els AN acre of winter turf oats after
applying in the disking 800 pounds OF
reid phosphate and twenty-five pounds
Of muriate Of potash an acre.
After the oats harvest break the
.tubble again deeply and harrow we'll
and with a wheat drill set TO SOW two
bushels of wheat. drill in the cowpeas
again. Give these. too. some acid
phosphate and potash, and when the
Lods turn yellow, NOV them and cure
for hay, and disk the stubble over light
ly and SOW fifteen pounds of crimson
clover seed an acre. Then during the
winter get out all the manure made
from feeding the corn slower pea hay
and oats straw and spread IL on this
clover, and turn all under In spring
for corn again. and then repeat the
rotation. This will rapidly increase the
humus content in the soil. and there is
no land in this country that can he
brought to a higher state of fertility
easily as the lands OF Accomac. On the
heavy clay soils near the bay wheat
can take the place of oats. but on the
general and lighter soils the oats will
he best. Then always, whether for
general farming or potato growing,
have n green crop on the land in winter,
even If only rye. Accomac is pros
ferrous county. and would be still more
so if the farmers would get out of the
old ruts and improve their farm lands
and make as good crops as they make
of potatoes. I have treated this at
length, because ! feel an interest in the
Improvement of my native county, Ac-
comac.
From Pittsylvania County some one
who signs his letter "Pittsylvania
Farmer" asks for information through
The Times Dispatch, and wish to say
xx,hil Ia to I I,ici,