The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-09-08
Mr.. N 'QUARRIE
MAKES REPORT
FOR THE WEEK
CROP ADVISER FOR EScAMBIA
COUNTY CROP ASSOCIATION
TELLS OF CONDITIONS OVER
HIS DISTRICT.


ing cotton and IN some instances, the
yield is very satisfactory. The price
has been steadily advancing during the
last few weeks, and 1t looks as If the
returns from the crop will be a good
deal more satisfactory than was at
one time expected.
Rice.
There are quite a number OF rice
patches scattered throughout the
country, all of which are very prom
Using; some have cut their crop and
report satisfactory yield. This crop
Is very much neglected one and it is
one OF the most profitable crops our
farmers can grow, and one great point
in its favor is that 1t can be made a
catch crop, after a spring crop; If
sowed as late as the first Of Jnue, it
will make a good crop before cold
weather. It is excellent work-stock
feed, but to get best results from 1t
for stock feed, it should be cut in the
dough stage and made into hay. Some
are leaving it too long before cut
ting, with the result of considerable
loss by seed shattering. The stage at
which to cut is when the first yellow
tinge shows in the field; if cut then,
ard tied in bundles AID shocked, the
seed will mature sufficiently either for
seed or huIling purposes.
Fall Planting.
AS noticed in last weeks letter, all
vegetables for fall and early winter
use should be got under way as soon
as possible. A very important and
profitable crop, when properly handled,
is the Bermuda onion crop. 1t is,
however, very important that the
very best seed should be used; to get
this quality of seed, orders must be
sent in early. The seed is very rarely
available before the first week in Oc-
tcber. The best seed Comes from the
Island Of Teneriffe, off the Spanish
coast, and the growers on that island
are very careful to have the seed we'll
n1atured before they harvest and ship
it. H. G. Hastings, of Atlanta, Ga,
has been making a specially of this
seed for a number of years, and I
would recommend all intending grow
ing this crop, to place their orders
right aay. The seed should be tested
for its vitality before planting; one of
the best ways to do this is to immerse
the seed in water; all of the seed that
float are worthless; those that sink
are good. The seed should be sowed
in rows about six inches apart in well
prepared beds, and when the plants
should be transplanted to the field
where the crop is to grow.
Winter Cover Crops.
Any farmer worthy of the name. will
see to it that his land is protected in
the winter with a cover crop of some
kind, and in a climate like ours, and |
with such wide range of crops at his
command, he is remiss in his duty to
himself and the community in which
he lives, if he neglects this very i'm
portant matter. For soil building
purposes, he has 1egumes such as
crimson clover, burr clover, and hairy
vetch. If he wants to increase the
hurnus content of the soil. he has
rye. oats and barley to use by blowing
under in early spring preparatory to
planting his main spring crops. If he |
prefers to grow cover crops and use |
them for their grain or cut them in the |
dough stage and cure for hay. he has |
oats, rye, and barley, all of which are
valuable crops and well adapted to Es- |
Gambia county soils.
Strawberries.
During this last spring and early |
summer, IS per cent of the straw |
berries on the Pensacola market were |
shipped in from somewhere else than |
any point in this county. This is a !
state of affairs that should not be al !
lowed to exist, because we have the |
soil and climate to produce this fruit |
in abundance and of the best quality. |
Now Is the time to get preparations |
for this crop under way. Select a, good |
piece OF land. preferably where a le- /
gume crop such as COW peas, soy /
beans, or velvet beans, has been grown /
this summer. Pillow deeper than the |
Lard was ever p1owed before, with a |
good turning pillow. putting everything
Of a. vegetable nature under the ground, |
and using a sub soiler in the same fur
row. In this way you will open UP
the substrata of soil to aeration and
which will give the crop
the needed supply Of moisture at the
time II is most needed, which IS when
in full bearing Send to the Cont
mental Plant Company, Ktttrell, N. C.,
for their catalogue; select about so per
cent of your plants Of the Missionary
variety, Is per cent Of the Klondyke,
Is per cent Of the Excelsior. and 10 |
per cent OF Lady Thomson. To get
crop next spring, the plants should be
set out not later than the end Of Oc-
tober. Fertilize as heavy as the soil
will warrant applying 1t broadcas)
with a fertilizer analyzing 4 per cent
ammonia, per cent phosphoric acid,
and per cent potash The source g
this ammonia should either be sulphate
DE- ammonia, blood, or a high grade
.ankage. Never use a rank organic
fertilizer like cottonseed meal for
strawberries If you want high-grade
fruit. Use suIPhate of potash, not
nuriate, for the same reason.
Figs.
Quite a number of fig trees in diff
serent parts OF the country are setting
! second crop OF fruit: this viii re-
luce the vitality of the trees very
much should frost be delayed long
f.-r-