The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-26
WITH THE FARMERS
BY Prof. w. F. MASSEY

phosphate and how much an acre2
Would YOU run a spike harrow over 1t
or let the rain wash IL in? | usually
SOW about half an acre in turnips.
What do YOU consider the best ferti-
l!zer for them? Should they be sown
this month or next. l have usually
sown half Ruta Baga and half Purple
top, and prefer the latter What Kind
do you think best for cattle?'
My advice on the 7th to a correspon-
dent IN Appomattox was given with
tho Idea OF improving the next first
cutting of his clover the following
spring There is no danger that phos-
phoric acid Will escape from the soil.
Therefore would apply 900 pounds
an acre. and let the rains wash ii
down. This Will help tho plants to
make some green growth in the fall
for winter cover and Will increase
the crop next spring. If you arc going
to SOW Ruta Bagas it will be better
to COW them late In July The large
Purple top. not the purple top strap
leaf. should be sown about the middle
OF August. and the fat strap leaf
turn!p for table use In the fall can be
sown in September. What turnip Is
best for cattle-any of them are poor
feed for cattle If YOU want roots for
cattle It is better to grow manrels
or sugar bcets. But any one with
number OF cattle should have a silo
and fill IL with corn. and the cnslage
Will beat all the roots ever grown, and
VIII cost less to grow and store
sheep sorrcI.
II have field Of white sandy soil.
but fairly good There is a weed grow
ms on ii in spots that seems to he i'm
possible to destroy. have been told
that this weed is called sheep sol
Nothing will produce we'll where 1t
grows. Can YOU tell me how TO get
rid OF ii, as i want to prepare the land
for tobacco next spring" l suppose
that the plant you refer TO is sheep
sorrel not sol. 1t grows there because
the land has gotten into a condition
that better plants will not thrive II
thrives on sour soil where peas and
legume crops in general do not thrive.
1t Will grow OF sweet soil. too hut
there other better things will grow
and crowd 1t out. The best thing YOU
can do now 10 get a start on il will he
to pillow 1t all under and apply 1000
pounds of slaked lime an acre and
harrow this IN and SOW the land to
crimson clover ar q winter clover, or
clover and rye together Then YOU can
turn these under in the spring for to-
bacco, or cut them off and use only
the stubble. There is no difficulty in
keeping rid OF sheep sorrel II you farm
in good rotation and give tho land
some lime once in five or six years
growing plenty OF peas and clover and
feeding the hay to stock. Sorrcl grows
because the land is not in condition
to favor tho growth OF better things.
You say nothing else will grow where
the sorrel is. and they would not grow
If the sorrel was not there. The sorrcl
is simply one of natures means for
hiding the waste man has made.
Diseased CnbbngcH.
My cabbaGes are dying They have
been we'll cultivated. but turn yellow.
spotted and dry all through What can
] do?' Nothing You evidently have
the Fusarium rot In the cabbages,
which In North Carolina is called the
yellow fever II is caused by soil bac-
terra, and the only thing that can be
done is 10 plant the cabbases in land
where no cabbage nor turnips nor
radishes have been grown. and keep
all these plants out OF the infected
land.
Varieties of Apples.
To several correspondents: The vari-
cites that should be planted in a com
nercial orchard in Virginia are few I'm
number. and should include the yar,
cites that are well known on the gen
eral market. and hence in regular de-
mand. There are, OF course others that
are good and valua bile locally for home
use or home market. In the Tidcwatcr
section IL Will pay we'll 10 grow tho
early apples, such as the Yellow Trans
parent. Red Astrakan and Early Har
vest, and these are valuable in any
part OF the state hut do not pay for
shipping except where they can be
gotten carly have seen superb Early
harvest apples In the North Carolina
mountains the last of August. and such
specimens would sell fast early In July.
but only OF local value in late August
For fall apples plant Fall Cheese for
local sales and Bonun for market.
horse Is also good. Then there are
TWO weIl-known apples OF high QUALITY
which are more fall apples than win
ter though they will keep till Christ
mas or later. and l have seen them
Kept in cold storage into February.
oul then rather worthless. These
appies are the Jonathan and the
crimes Golden. Grown in the noun
tain country they Will be rairly good
winter apples and will keep we'll into
January. Both sell well and arc of
hlsh quality OF the regular winter
keepers, OF course, the growers who
have p!ppin SOIL will grow the Abe
marie pipp!n and If you do plant tho
old Albcmarlc stock and do not accent
'he idea that II and the Yellow New
town apples arc the same. for Won can
l!'int the Yellow Newtcwn from the
North IN the pest pippin soil. ana II
VIII make fine yellow Ncwtowns. but
lAey viii not LOOK like the pipp:ns
from the old stock The old Winesap
Is profitable. but It's newer Seeding.
me Stayman Winesap, is a larger ana
'"lter apple, In fact ! think the best
WINTER apple grown. ana 1t thrives
from tn" mountains to the sea There
are large orchards OF Staymans in
Delaware that p.oducc the highest
prieed apples in Philadelphia. Thcn
the YORK Imperial while no, a very
superior quality, is good, sure bearer
ana good seller This is called
Johnson's nnc winter In some parts
OF the Ftate. Rome Beauty is also
5000 But notice in the shows that
every one shows York Impcr,als.
Red Clover Sowing
From louisa County u nave been
rcad1ng your articles in The Times
Dispatch with great deal of interest
they sound good To M. please tell
me how late this fan can SOW tho
old-fashioned red clover for hav cron
aeNt spring. know # should be soxn
~ late August or early september but