The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-04

son. the canning of tomatoes can DC
made a fairly rcrluncraiive business.
But l have never known one to bt
successful south of Maryland and Nir-
ginia. This is largely due to the un-
certainty of the tomato crop in the
South. From North Carolina south
ward tomatoes cannot he grown rs
they are further north, owing to tn.
prevalence of the Southern bacterial
blight which in most sections outside
the mountain country make the crop
exceedingly uncertain. Florida grows
tomatoes because of the prices they
bring in the carriers. but the man who
tried TO grow tomatoes in Florida for
$40 a ton would soon ind that he gould
not do il. and the commercial toma to
canning will probably remain in the
central section OF the county.
Genuine Letters.
A friend wishes TO know if the quo
tations use in these columns are from
real letters merely made-up
texts / assured him that they are not
only real letters. but they represent
but small part OF the letters that
come 10 me from the farmers, and
nearly all OF them have had personal
replies by mail, and the ones that
seemed to be of some interest to others
nre used In these columns. Since the
first of January last I have written
personal replies by mail to over 1000
letters from farmers, and select here
whose inquiries may be OF interest TO
other farmers, as we'll as to the writer's,
Hence II Will be seen that the letters
quoted in these columns but a
small part of the correspondence that
falls to my share. / make this state
ment TO show that there is n genuine
spirit OF inquiry abroad among the
Southern farmers. and this is especially
true of the farmers in North Carolina
and North Carolina is on boom indus
L., Lay,
the Virginia farmers 10 emulate.
Crimson Glover Seed.
A correspondent recently asked the
price OF crimson clover seed, and l
told him to wait till the new crop was
in. as I aid not like TO trust the seed
imported last fall and carried over. \
Richmond scotsman wrote TO me pro-
testing against what I had said. and
they said that they often found the
old seed to grow more strongly than
the new. ! DO not believe this. but
have just made test OF the imported
seed carried over. and 10 my surprise
find that il Ecrm!nates fully 90 per
cent. This is rather surprising, as
several OF the Southern stations have
considered the carried over seed TO be
poor. This seed is now selling here
for $3.50 per bushel, lower price than
this seed has started at for years.
A Farm Rotation.
From Dinwiddie County: Please
on clover sod followed by oats in the
fall. with vetch and crimson clover for
hay This TO be followed by cowpeas
as soon as the hay is cut. using 500
pounds Of i6 per cent acid phosphate on
the peas Cut The peas for hay. and
then SOW crimson clover. using what
manure can make during the winter
and turn for corn again in the spring
and then repeat the rotation. VIII the
peas come off IN time 10 SOW the clover.
and can this ration be continued and
improve The land This is rather a
short rotation. but there is no doubt
that i, is practicable. and that the
land Will improve in humus quite rap
idly II YOU are liberal with the acid
phosphate II viii be better to apply
lime about once IN Eve or six years on
the plowed land TO go in corn. and
harrow II IN before planting the corn
II your soil is the usual red clay, you
can leave out the potash. but on gray
soil ! would add some potash in the
fertilizer. Cutting the oats. vetch and
clover for hay. and then sowing cow
peas, TO be followed by crimson clover
you Will doubtless have vetch again
among the cloveT, AS II will always re-
seed the land since II is very apt TO
drop some seed before the crop is cut
After a few years l think that you will
and II better to lengthen the rotation
by putting in q crop OF wheat on the
pea stubble. by simply disking the pea
stubble fire, giving the wheat 400
pounds OF the phosphate acre and
following II with peas for hay and
then clover and back TO corn. Then, II
you use the Thomas phosphate instead
OF the acid phosphate, Il carries 40 per
cent OF lime, and will tend to keep the
soil sweet and save the lining TO
great extent. But there is no doubt
that the plan you propose Will Give
YOU large amount OF forage. and you
will BIO increasing your manure ac-
cumuiation steadily. till finally you
may make enough manure TO give the
entire corn tend cont. and when YOU
can do that you have got your land
in shape 10 grow anything
The EyerbeartnE Strawberries.
Kindly let me know If the ever
bearing strawberry plant is a reality
or fake' What is your opinion OF
the best stra wberry for fall planting %
The everbearing strawberries are no
fake at all, but a reality. have tested
but one variety, the Superb, but have
planted this spring another called
Americus. The superb blooms and
fruits all summer and fall ill frost
j ate them in October last year, and
they had been fruiting all summer
through. and had plenty Of fruit on
them when cold weather came The
Americas is claimed TO be as good or
better. The fruit Of the superb is Of
fairly good size, very smooth and uni
berry ! know. For an annual spring.
bearing strawberry. ! know OF none
better than the Chesapeake w F
Allen, one Of the largest strawberry
plant growers in this country saws In
his catalogue: IF there is q better
berry than the Chesapeake. I have not
found it." II is a mIdseason variety
of large and smooth shape. and "A
heavy bearer. / have found here that
the best time TO set straw berry plants
is in November. They live better then.
the drought and heat are over, and
the plants viii make some fruit in tile
spring.
Growing Potted Strawberry Plants
! II want to grow some potted straw
berry plants for setting in the fall
The books say bury the pots filled
with soil. along the rows and place
The runners on them held in place by
d clod or stone. Now notice that
dealers offer these plants by the thou
sands in the fall. and 1t seems TO me
that thew cDuld moi make ri 4.