The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-20

the same expenditure that we have
been making for n complete fertilizer
mixture. get much larger amount OF
the mineral matters In the shape OF
phosphoric acid and potash, and ii will
always pay TO use these heavily. True.
there are soils. such as the red lands
| OF the Southern Piedmont In which
there is wondcrfui store of potash
in the form OF an insoluble silicate,
and on these soils the use of lime and
the growing of humus- making crops
Will rclcase this potash so that the
only fertilizing material needed. to be
bought is phosphorio acid. and when
we use this literally on the peas and
| clover they will do the rest.
why Rotation.
rotation of crops 10 not intended.
as many suppose. to rest the land.
| Nature viii not let land rest; II we
! 90 not put something on 1t more use
ful. she will cover il with weeds and
| grass. and always has n supply OF
| seed on hand for this purpose for ma
turo .abhors hare land, and II is the
| Keeping OF the land bare In clean cul-
tivation year after year that has been
largely instrumental in the making o;
! our Southern soils poor. The sun is
! the greatest destroyer OF bacteria we
have. and constant exposure to tho sun
| In summer rapidly destroys the bene-
/ hcial bacteria that work for the
! farmer Hence. the resting In weeds
/ and grass season is of course bet
! ter than constant clean cultivation,
but soil cover of the leEumes is far
better. and we rotate crops 20 keep
the soil busy growing something that
VIII help II and help us. rather than
making weeds to give us brow-sweat-
| ings the next season
We rotate crops, too. because no
| rlant cares to live year after year on
! its own decay. and we change the
/ crop in order 10 bring in new con-
ditions.
| Bare land in winter is always losing
! fertility in the winter rains The solu-
/ bic nitrates are washed out Hence
the wise farmer will always have n
, green growth on his land in winter to
catch this iieeting nitrogen. so that il
can be restored TO the soil In sprin,,
and help IN the accumulation of hu
mus. \ winter cover crop is essential
especially In the South, where We have
more rain than snow.
IN The matter OF farm rotation
every farmer must be a law to him
self. No one can make hard and fast
rules for the cultivation of every mans
farm since soils and conditions and
! topography vary so greatly We can
only offer suggestions and the farm
er must use his brains like the Scotch
man. traveller passing a fine field of
, wheat asked a Scotch,nan what was
used on ii to make it so good: what
1t WITS manfred with wv brains sir"
said the Scotchmnn, and what is need
| ed III all our farming is brains and
study. The man who fails to study
ms profession and 10 stndy his particu-
| lar soil, viii seldom succeed as a farm
I err II ie the book farmer. the student
| OF farming. who is going to make thu.
4 lana Improve, and the farmer Of the
future must be more and more a stu
dent and close observer
Several persons have sent me speci-
mems for Identification of the Medica-
! GO macula,a, which is so near like the
Burr clover or Medicago denticulatu
! mat they are rather hard 10 dis
tinGuish. But the Medicago dentlcu-
iata is more upright growing plant,
while the Macuinta Is apt TO sprawl in
tne ground to a greater extent Some
/ have bought seed of Burr clover. ann
have gotten Maculata. Either Of them
Is more valuable for soil Improvement
than Tor forage, and either of them
/ VIII inocculate the soil tor AIedicago
saliva. alfalfa.
My carly sweet potatoes were cut
down by the frost in late April. but
are starting TO grow again Had l
better let them grow or pIow them
grow The check may make them a
little later but they Will stil be
earlier than plants set now
want to plant about half an acre
OF late Irish potatoes for the home
market. can get cold storage seed
in lichmond. and would like TO know
which variety is best TO plant, and
when ana how TO plant them" The
potatoes usually kept over In cold
storage are all OF the early varieties
as they are generally wanted tor
stowing late crop to make seed for
inc next spring or these would
/ prefer tho Irish coboler Here find
mat the Sir Walter Raleigh. late
potato makes good crop and is "a
good Keeper am Just now in May
ABOUT using tho last OF those
ne cohbiers can be planted any
Nme In June make differ
. rnce between early and late 20
'aio"s The early ones arc or course
planted as early as the season Will al
mt, ann At that time we want the
warmth OF the sun 20 hasten them
and wo ridge up the plants at the las,
WORKING But with the late crop the
c"hol0ons are different, and the OBJ
Jecj In cultivation is TO conserve The
soil moisture
Therefore, I plant IN deep burrows
ana cover very lightly till they start
!" grow. ana then work the soil &c
''m Nl level. and cultivate shallow
ana perfectly level never milling a,
az Break and prepare the land deep
~ ana get tho potatoes deep in the
i'ound' and then keep dust blanket
on 'he surface to prevent the cyapor.
db"n Of moisture prefer June
faiher Than later for planting.
My cahtclonpes arc nearly al
ruined every season hy worms that
oore INTO the half grown fruit. anc
II stops growing ana fails. what chr
ne done 80 prevent them" You,
iHouple comes from what is known rs
inc pickle worm. from its habit IL
some sections Of attacking tho c,c,fm.
bers. The best means for preventive
them is lead arsenate one pound +,
'nirty gallons OF water. SPRAY win
ln's as soon as the vines start 10 run
and repent u every ten DAYS ,iu IN.
melons are more than half grown
iittle glucose or corn syrup mixed wi,,