The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-19
WITH THE FARMERS
By Prof w. F. MASSEY

II had bought the caustic soda from
him. acting as the salesman of n re
iiahlo house. I would make the house
take the stuff off my hands and refund
IN" money. for the selling OF this ar.
ticie rs potash was q fraud.
ScupDernonS Grapes in Virginia.
Essex County: Il am offered ten
Scuppcrnone vines and one Male Ro-
will do we'll here and is the Rotundi-
folia tho same that YOU recommend to
be planted with the SuppcrnonE? I am
on tho south side of tho Rappahan-
mock. about hnlf way between Fredcr-
iclesburg and the mouth OF the river.
Other grapes do we'll here" You arc
very near the northern limit for the
Scuppcrnons II YOU have sandy
! soil they VIII probably do we'll They
/ thrive here on our level sandy soil.
and we arc slightly north of Essex.
but have local climate rather milder
! than the same latitude west of the
| bay. The Rotundfolia is tho same
! commonly known as Nuscadine. Ro-
! tundifolia IS the older botanical name,
but the rovisionis,s now call 1t vul-
pima.
/ l had rather stick 70 the old name
! OF kotundifola Is more descriptive of
| the plant with it's small round leaves.
1
a horizontal arbor. The vines should
| De trained IT first 20 stakes with one
cane till tall enough for the arbor.
i They extend very widely In every di-
I rcction and should have plenty or
/ room. About thirty or forty feet apart
each way will allow for tho extension
/ OF tho prborI The old ScuppcrnonE
vine on Roanoke Island. \. G.. covers
several acres. anu is considered to be
tie original Scuppernonr- 1t is very
| common 10 see vines with stems over
| = foot In diameter ] do not remem-
| Der tho diameter or the Roanoke Is
/ land vine. but IL is enormous. The
vines very commonly throw down a
mass OF aerial roots from the trunk
and form q cluster Of stems In prun-
Ing tho Scuppeinong wc aim TO pre-
serve the long one and two-year canes.
as they .bcar on two -ycar-old wood.
! and pruno out the Stuntcd growths. The
pruning should always hc done in No
vcmber, rs they bleed less when cut
| at that time. Good pruning is cs
sent.al. though the common practice
+, III the South is TO let them run without
any pruning. and make great mass
over the trcllis the general idea seem
ms 10 be that the vine needs 10 prun-
Ing. But ono OF the most successful
growers IN Raleigh, n 9, keeps his
vines neatly pruned ard has Won
dcrful crop on a frw vines. In plant
ing ten vines | would set the male
Vine about the south cnd OF the plan
tation. as the prevailing winds ia the
blooming season Will be from tho
south. ana tho wind will aid the bees
in scattering the pollen. The arbor
may be made Of galvanized heavy wire
over wooden cross pieces or 1oists and
can be extended from time 10 time as
the growth demands.
= Good Crop of Pens.
one or my correspondents writes
{ -. dc tl...
Grout cowpca from the Department OF
Agriculture and gathered four and
three-quavtcrs bushels. This is a very
heavy crop Of cowpcas. which are not
usually heavy secdmakcrs. The Iirou,
Is IN early pea and We'll suited TO the
moro Northern and elevated sections
| where my friend lives. He planted the
same amount OF Tiabcrland SOY beans
ana got one bushel of seed. as the
rabbits We're too fond OF them. And
vet the laws OF Maryland ana some
other states make q close season for
: rabbits for tho sole benefit OF the fell
lows that tramp over the farmers
fields in the fall There Is no need for
q close season for rabbits as they in
crease TOO fast with no protection. and
often become It nuisance. In North
Carolina. where they are not protected,
they increase wonderfully, and at Ia
leigh thoy ate more or my cantaloupos
than did. Here keen u little 90
Winehcst"r rifle in my office for
the h.n.1t OF tho dogs. IA bbits and
chickens that get into my garden one
has perfect right 10 protect his gar
den from trespass.ns Wild animals.
Plant for Name.
( ! am sending YOU some pieces Of
what Aev. heard call clover. X doe4
/ not look liz clover as | grow H. and
II is Z natural growth all around ,nc.
/ IL has seeded all over Bermuda pas
-
+ tpre where SOW oats and pasture the
/ stubble. and the clover gets thicker
and the oats better every year for
I five Heats PLEASE ten me the name.
ana what YOU think OF it, The plant
is no, true clover, though il is COM
monty called Japan clover. II is Les.
{ peieaa strata. i IL legu!ne and
| soil irnprove:, Ike real clover. and has
spread all over the South since the
war II will help the grazing on your
bermuda Pasture verE greatly, as It
/ If one Of the best summer pasture
I plants III the far South i, grows tai!
b, enough 10 NOV and makes 4 very fine
quality Of hay, hut north II the lower
part Of tie Gulf states Il does not
grow tall enough 10 NOV, but /, IS =
raiuabi" plant . &c, OF waste land
and pastures. IL Will run out hroom-
sedg. and has done 50 IL many sec
tons III Virginia where i, has OK
tended 20 the Rappahanuock River, ard
perhaps = little further.
Preparing for Corn.
~ have piece o. graz SANDY soil
with clay subsoil which was IL peas
aud peanuts. The tops we're ,nown
for nay and tbs hogs are eating tho
peanuts. / want 10 plant the land in
corn mkt spring. and th.El; that IL
Viii make about fifteen bushels OF
corn without any manurine Now /
would like 70 increase the crop next