The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-22


From Orange County: II have maoe
two sowings of crimson clover since
coming to Virginia, and have secured
only partial stands each time. Last
Year / seeded cowpcas, one bushel an
acre. ana crimson clover and hairy
vetch, ten pounds each in corn about
July 26. with one horse drill
Sowcd this spring one bushel OF cow
peas end ten pounds each of vetch
and crimson clover about June 10. ]
expect To have the clover and vetch
rs = cover crop next winter and early
pas ture for pigs. There is very thin
stand. have concluded that the drill
puts tho vCtch and clover In too deep.
Now l have a field that made forty
bushels OF corn last year, and am now
cutting good crop OF winter oats
from 1t. l intend 10 disk the stubblc,
and SOW japanese bucKwhcat three
pecks an acre. and want the crimson
clover to go in with il. How had II
best he DONE"
have quoted freely from n rather
long letter. which shows how an in
tclligcnt man can make mistakes, ana
attribute his failure TO the wrong
cause. The only wonder to mo is
that YOU got any vetch or clover at
all from sowing in early June and tho
chances are that the clover will run
Then. too. YOU sowcd with cowpeas,
and that is hrst-rntc plan for
smothering out what clever may grow.
In short your SowingS We're all too
carly in the season and wrong in
method, and there would have been
more 10 wonder at IL YOU had sue
cccded than IL you failed. for in either
sowing. / would have predicted fan
ure. Now you can usually get good
Ct Or rln IN. fr,,r
buckw heat, wouids use from half a
bushei TO a bushel OF buck wheat. ac
cordinc to the fertility OF the soil.
Drin in the buckwheat and then SOW
the clover seed and brush 1t in with
smoothing harmon. But do not SOW
earlier than the first week in August.
The quick starting buckwheat Will
furnish all the shade needed. and tho
clover will usually succeed. Probably
the three pecks OF seed you propose
VIII be cnoush. as YOU do not want
10 make too much shade, such as peas
would make. But never SOW clover
and peas together. Ii the clover start
cd, the peas would smother 1t, and the
sowing would be too early for the
clover. Then try piece OF land with
the clover alone. sown tho last OF
august. and see If you do not get a
FAR better stand Vetch usually does
fan. even from the self-sown seed.
ana II IS probable that from your juno
sowing YOU will have a good deal
more ve,ch in tho fall. though the
clover Viii be apt to bloom this sum
NOR all, be done for.
Draining Lind.
u have sone land that is low. and
am bothered with crawfish. Can YOU
tell me how to drive them out?" You
as.,1.
eaten and eat them Those who have
tried Them claim that crawnsh are rs
Sood AS shrimps. have never tr.ed
them Gut the only way to get rid
uf them is To thoroughly nnderdrain
the land. This has been done Success
fully in IN, coast lands OF south caro-
liza. partly through She ala of the
United states government engineers
Remove the water. and the crawnsh
VIII ave or be starved out. or
course. the best way to unisr,lrain is
with earthcn tiles nut / have drained
lani 'nat has remained drained. with
skinned pine poles. mad cG"e in
the river bottom surrounded : high
hills. The soil vas very wet and was
covered with dense growth or'branch
WILLOWS. had these yrubbo.' out
and then dug a ditch along the base
@ the hll to Gu, OF the springs
trom this ditcG l took series g:
ditches straight - The river with n
rcgGl.r fan. in all these dl,ches /
land tw" pine poles. one on .Hch side
"f t!.o d,ch bottom with an ~
space between them ) la.rc.. pole
WAS laid on top this opening. form
Ing "a channel under it, Pine straw
was then used as a cover to proven,
the soil from sinking into the drain
and tn" bitches We're nlled This was