The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-11
WITH THE FARMERS
BY Prof. w. F. MASSEY.

chiefly because tho seed do not quickly
mold or decay, but are available as
hog feed through n number Of tho fall
months Experiments made by tho
Animal Industry Department of the
Alabama Experiment Station show
that this crop can be profitably uti-
| lized as grazing for hogs as soon as
the Oldest pods are we'll formed. at
which time the hogs will mako some
use OF part of the foliage. After this
tured until November or December"
Soy Benns I'm Corn.
I 1 agree with Prof Duggar that Soy
! beans are not so good in corn as cow
peas. The peas will grow much bot
ter in the shauc of the corn But 1
| good to mix Soy beans and pens for
hay. Ho claims that tho Soy beams
among the peas grow weakly and
fail to support the peas. This has not
been tho result here. for they grew
erect and helped to support the peas
Last year 1 noticed another thing
On land where no Soy beans had be-
fore been grown, we sowed one area
with mixture Of equal amounts of
Soy beans and peas mixed. On an
other area, Soy beans were planted In
rows without any peas. Later In the
season, we were examining both these
fields. l noticed that the Soy beans
among the peas wore much stronger
and greener than those planted alone
No artificial incubation had been
used. In trying to ascertain the diff
ference we took up plant after plant
from among tho peas. and found tho
roots full of nodules. Taking up
| plants from whore the Soys were
planted alone, we could hardly find
any nodu1es. 1t did seem then that
the peas had served to inoculate the
Soy beans, for the land had often
grown peas. while the field where the
Soys were planted alone was newly
cleared brush land where no peas had
ever been planted. This would seem
to Indicate that the same bacterium
that lives on the pea roots will live
on the roots of the Soy beans and that
the Soys are bettered by mixing them
with peas, and, in fact, these grew
much stronger than where they were
alone.
Curing Cowpcn Hay.
AS usual every summer in the South
ern farm papers / note all sorts of
racks and contrivnnces recommended
Tor the curing of cowpea hay All
these contrivances are perfectly use
less. II one practices the simple method
l have given. and cures the peas part
~ In winrow and cock and finishes
IN the Darn. have cured cowpea hay
TOT many years and never used any
sort OF stake or rack TO spoil it In
inNe' tIlcIt is no nay moro easily cured
II YOU simply let II cure. An experience
OF thirty Ave to forty years in making
cowpca hay, and never any moldv hay
made but hay with the leaves green in
color and not the lot OF leafless sticks
that most people get from rack curing
proves mat the curing is easy, and that
there lis not particle OF need of any
sort or contrivance to dry the hay he
fore storing, and thus losing the leaves
the pest part of the hay. And vet one
man VIII write that he has tried my
method and has made modify hay. while
ahother writes: Il have used your
method for twenty years and always
have the finest of hay" One man thinks
he IL following Il method while tho
| other really does so
The important thing in curing cow
| pen is TO wilt II rapidly and get 1t into
"lhrows as soon rs possible. Hence, the
tedder. right after the mower, Is i'm
portant. Then after one night in tho
winrow, get it into as tall and narrow
cocks AS Will stand. and as soon as no
sap can be wrung To a hard twist. nut
II, sun limp, into the barn and let IT
strictly alone. and my word for it, it
VIII cure sweet and bright The proper
time for cutting is important This is
when the pods turn yellow
| rerracinE Hillsides.
IN travelling through Georgia. / no.
ticed that they have slight ridges at
intervals all down the hillsides. These
ridges are grown up with grass and
weeds, and make the hillside look
| rough. l suppose that they are in
/ tended 10 stop the washing. Then, in
| North Carolina, did not SEQ these lines
of grass and weeds but they told me
that they had there n different form, a
! broad bank that is cultivated as tn.
rest of the field. and they called these
| Manuum terraces. from the name of
| the farmer who contrived them. What
do you think OF this system. and would
/ II be we'll to adopt something Of the
sort 10 prevent the outlying of our Nir-
, ginia red hills
Tho ridges you noticed in travelling
/ through Georgia are what they call
terraces. On the upper side Of each
| they usually have a narrow ditch run
ming at n gradual descent to carry tho
water OF more slowly The result is
/ that these d!tcncs often make gulleys
In North Carolina Nix Mangum Invent
ed the broad bank taken around the
hills at. Il gradual fall, with a broad
fiat space above 10 spread out the
water and carry it slowly down MIL.
The rows for cultivation arc carried ON
the level OF the contour lines of tho
hills. and therefore cut the terrace
banks at an acute angle.
These terraces have become ncccs-
sary because % the farm management.
Where the hills are plowcd only abou.
FOUR inches deep and in many places
IN Georgia simply scratched with a
pull tongue. and the land is kept every
year IN clean cultivated crop Ike
cotton. and there is ncver amy sod
with Ahrous matter 10 mold the soil
together
iiut that They arc necessary have
proved on as steep hills In Virginia
as are cultivated anywhere. j, Is tho
method Of farming tina, makes them
needed
II the hillside were piowed deeper
and subsoiIeG stlll dcepcr. so tina,
there Will be led Of loose soil six
teen Inches deep, the rainfall would
be taken up and held where !, will
= he needed On tho Southern hills only
, scratched over ana with hard CLAW
right below the scratch Of III. littic
"he-hprse piow, the summer torrents
'nht We haT" In tho South soon I'll
. all the Loose soil ana d,,r, t;u 4,