The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-01

high above the water table in the soil
II needs heavy lining on most soils
and the use OF liberal amounts of acit
phosphate and potash. and the seet
should be sown ut rate of twenty-tiv,
pounds All acre early in September. Ii
can be sown in spring, but the chances
are that the crab grass will choke II
out Early fall sowing is always the
best.
There are many books on farming
that will be useful to YOU. You can
get Crop Growing and Crop Feeding
from the Farmer Company. Eighteenth
and Market Streets. philadelphia. Pa,
for 81: YOU can get my book. "Practi-
cal Farming" from a. c. McClurg, Chi
cago. Ill. for sl.S7 by mail l have
tried in this book to make the matter
as plain and simple as possible. Start
TO ii and learn. Experience is dear
school. and you will make many mis-
takes. but with energy and perscver-
ance you may learn to be a farmer.
Tomatoes Failing.
My tomatoes started of well and
are now full Of fruit. But all the
leaves are dead and the fruit is yell
/ lowish and poor. What has been the
/ cause OF this?" l took a drive through
I the country near our city where every
/ farmer plants a field OF tomatoes for
the canning house, of which there are
more than fifty in my county. ] saw
field after field in the same condition
YOU say that yours is. and i saw one
field where the vines are still green
and healthy and the fruit in 4 normal
condition. The trouble is that most OF
the growers fail TO spray their plants,
and the blight takes the leaves off. and
YOU cannot have good fruit without
healthy leaves. Between where L live
and the business section of our city !
-, ,.,-,-
and I find II covered With the yellow
stem ends OF these sun burnt tomatoes
that"have been thrown out at n canning
/ house. This is an immense waste, and
all falls on the grocer. The tomato
crop this season was unusually late,
owing 10 the freeze in May, that made
! il necessary to replaut the fields. But
in any season ] note that the average
crop made by the farmers is not over
four tons an acre. and at $40 a ton
there is no profit but really loss, to
the grower. 1t is easy, with we'll
grown plants and good soil and good
/ cultivation TO make at least ten tons
an acre, and l have years ago made
I sixteen tons. 1t is the same with to-
/ matoes as with every other crop grown
/ by farmers. Some will improve their
soil and practice good methods OF Gull
/ tivation, while others lag along in the
old ruts and fail TO understand why
farming does not pay them. | see here
and there everywhere men planting a
field in corn when they know before
they plant ii that the land is not in
condition to make q paving crop, and
yet they do this same thing year after
Year, while around them are men who
are farming well ana growing good
crops. They have eyes, but they see
not, and they do not use their brains.
snlting Shredded slower.
NapScTnCul County "Mlll mixing
salt in shredded stover in bal
ing it injure the keeping of the
! stover, and Will it be more reished b.
| stock? ] am thinking OF shrcddine
| the stoYcr when cured and bale it 70.
sale. II the salt Will be a disadvant-
age please let me know" If the
stovcr is perfectly dry when paled the
salt may do no harm. and VIII GER
tainly do not good so far as the keep
ing is concerned. stock may cat i,
better with some salt. But sailing
stover nay or any farm roughage is
not advisable FOR a good farmer You
should have sock enough to eat all
such feed. and have the manure to 20
| back on the land.
| Pcn-Ninc Hay.
~ have been reading what you say
about curing pea-vine hay, bat there
| is one point YOU DO not mention. WI!
| rainy weather hurt The hay after IL IS
| III tile -ICkS. How long VIII the nay
| have 10 stay in the cocksYr lain IL
| not desirable on hay cocks Of any sort
! but temporary RAIN Will DO very little
| harm 10 pea vines In the cocks. only
| needing TO open and dry them. Long
| continued rainy weather would. OF
| course. 10 .crious harm, and il is al
7ays best To have hay caps or cover
| How long the hay should stay in the
| cocks VIII dcTend Oh the condition oi
| a. al. 1
! IN which thcI are cured let the
| vines stay. as I have said. untl YOU
| can take bunch Of the hay ana wriu,
| II and can wiring no sap 10 the twist
I have had II, in dry hot weather. u
got into mat state in the third DAY
and have had hay TO remain q wcel
in cocks. Hence cannot say how
, long tours should remain. The cond,-
z ton Of The hay ~ the test
3 Lime MnrI
IN reply 10 several ! have 10 say
\ that ! know nothing about the ll,nc
inar deposits in Southwest Virginia
aud elsewhere that are being nov adj
. NcrtlScd If tn" statements Of tho
: company which ia sailing the deposit
5 arc correct. would suppose tina, the
( article Is as good "a ground limestone
Y hen. as You can buy ground lime
stone In bulk for 81 q ton. caino,
3 sec that the mari is worth any more.
>
shells These arc AN excellent article
. o. line carbonate, ANA there are places
= an a!ohK the ch"sapeake where there
o arc vast accommodations Of these shclls
Z mat can be had at very low price.
Z ana good profit could he made In
%firdinS these a 81 :, ton while tho
8 few who are grinding are Killing sales
5 by asking too much for the produc,
5 WIN" fresh lump lime can he bought
= al 'hc kilns FOR $50 ton, the ground
: "a" rock on shells is not worth more
) than 81 ton. If the analysis Of the
lime mari deposits Is correct. can sec
no objection !" 1T" use. If offered at :,
! price that farmers car, afrord 10 nv,
4 u WI! tax" twice as much OF the mart
= or OF the ground limestone az shells
q 20 nave the same immediate effect IA
b"iht ln"' ana If the burnt lime f.
y properly siakcd after IL Is received. the
ta!E about its caustic properties doing
= marin IS all noHscns". have ugcd
= many ton Of burnt lime. with the