The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-14

4 ing the STOCK or cattle ID OF tho ut
most Importance for the future. But
first. in the South. VIC must get rid OF
the ticks and get our land north or
I the quarantine line. so that when We
/ have the cattle we can be allowed to
\ ship them But the ticks can never
be eradicated In any section so long
as cattle are allowed to range all over
/ the country. County after county in
! North Carolina has been cleared OF
| ticks and Admitted north OF the line
and every county in Virginia could
soan be cleared of cattle ticks. il the
proper means are taken. rs the .Agri-
| cultural Department is endeavorlns 10
do.
Top Dressing Crops.
Il wish TO use n top dressing on my
corn and cotton this season. On tho
cotton / drilled In at planting 800
pounds of An $50 mixture. | have
mNturc for top dressing that an
aly2cs - per cent ammonia per
cent phosphoric acid and IL per
cent OF potash The corn had 200
pounds of fertilizer an acre. WHAT
amount OF the top dresser should be
used. ana tho proper time and method
for each CROP"
Tho practice OF side applications OF
fertilizers has grown up In recent
years mainly because tho fertilization
at planting time was deficient or all
put in the furrow. Corn and cotton
roots run far and wide across the mid
. dies. and soon get away from little
In the furrow But If the application
had been moro liberal ut the start and
ut least half the fertilizer spre;&
down the mddles. there would be no
need for after applications. Nov, al
ter applying only moderate amount
. 1,.toe ~
pondent wants to encourage the crop
hy applying a mixture very strong In
nitrogen. Now tho office OF nitrogen
is TO encourage vital activity in tho
\ plant. while tho cotton lint and seed
are made by the phosphate and pot
ash And as these never wash out
from the soil as nitrogen does. they
cam h. applied iiberally at planting
time and II at that time Il fertilizer
Is used with a fair amount Of nitro
gen, uo side dressing would b. needed.
iut IS he condition presented 10 me
is different. can only say that the
side dressing Of the mixture YOU have
/ viii certainly help the crop. and may
he applied ut any time scattering IL
I broadcast all over the middlcs.
Now as to the corn. You can never
\ make corn protitahly ny depending on
| commercial fertilizers TO make IL.
I Corn should hay. n clover sod turned
under. on which the farm manure has
/ been spread during the previous
winter. Corn can make better use of
the rough manure than any other crop
\ on the farm. and IL Will be in the
I best possible shape to encourage tho
+ growth Of the winter grain 2r1p that
7 should follow. You can apply some OF
tho top dresser TO the corn, and can
increase tho crop. doubtless. hut the
increase viii cost all that ii would
sell for. Good rotativc farming is
needed IL -he South far moro than
fertilizer for every crop. II would
have paid yoI To have applied twice
as much TO your cotton AT the start.
putting the extra 3C0 pounds in the
middl.s. where tao roots would ind il
as they advance. but you cannot wakc
cheap corn with fertilizers. On cot
ton it Pays 10 fertilize heavily ana
broadcast
Sweet Potatoes.
Il have plenty of room and Il lient
soil tor sweet potatoes. bat my gar
den IS 81 rich that the sweet potatoes
all run 10 Win : and make aothiu. but
lit,le strings OF roots How can /
make them make poiatoeS?" By
supplying The plant food now deficient
in your soil and necessary for the maxi
inc OF the potatoes. l.ik" thousands OF
gardens have no doubt that yours
has been made rich by the annual APP
piicator<"f stable manure ana. hence.
yon have gott an excess af nitrogen.
III YOU wiil pat on tn" land nj rate OF
1000 pounds an acre, 4 mixture of nvo
parts acil pin ,sphatc aud one part SUI
phatc Of potash, YOU wiz make pota toes.
But 10 not use any manure To increase
til" nitrogen. Of which there is now
ri"nty III the soil.
Good vines arc important. for the
green matter in the leaves is the ma !
terial that enables the plant to get
carbon from the air. and the starch Of
which the potatoes are largely com
posed all comes from the air But IL
is necessary that there should bc pres
cnt due amount of phosphoric acid
aud potash, In order that the plant
E make starch freely. Phosphoric acid
, and potash work together in the MAX
/ ing and storing of starch. and while
, the nitrogen viii encourage a rapid
!, growth. ii there is only starch enough
to supply this growth. there will bc
, none To store in the roots. and then
YOU conclude Tint the soil is too rich
for sweet potatoes. when il is really
poor in the mineral matters.
Corn. Pens mud Glover.
suppose that ! SOW peas among my
corn and cut the corn OF and disk down
!, the peas and SOW crimson clover
: using no fertilizer at all viii I Get
y more corn by DOING this every ycar"'
{ Doubtless. For Il time YOU viii set
Increased crops OF corn. but the corn
( taken OF viii be- using up tho phos-
. pilates and potash in the soil while
Won viii hc accommodating organic do
! cay and nitrogen, and ere long on,
$ on BOTH of these viii become deficient
and YOU VIII make big corn plants and
ii httc corn. This very short rotation
Z could be kept ny for long time ii
i ne phosrhor!c acid and potash ar,
d literally supplied but. as a matter d
+ farm economy, II Is better to use In,
lesumc crops for feeding stock an,
L return the manure TO the land, ant
I hence make longer rotation
;, once knew of an experiment show
4 Ing the great importance of gcttinl
!, humus inio the soil The land was .
: bare rcd gall, NJ poo, ana uuproduc
" i've as any soil. II was well broker
+. ana prepared and corn planted withou
:. any f"rtiiiza'ion Late in the season
q crimson clover seed were sown anon.
y tho sorn The corn grew about kno
hleh and made no corn The Glove
lhe next spring bloolncd at about fou
400 !. f.r1