The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-12-16
Not a Good Idea If Land Is To
Be Left Bare
PROF MASSEY'S OPINION
May Do Very Well In North
Where Soil Is Locked Up
Hard All Winter-In South
Better to Sow Winter Glover
and RepIoW in Spring.

Writing in the Richmond Times
Dispatch, Prof. w. +. Massey answers
a question as to fall blowing. The
communication which ELECTED his re-
marks on the subject was:
II read a great deal in some Of the
farm papers about the value Of plow-
ing land late In the fall for spring
crops, as in the case Of heavy clay
the frost will mellow the soil, and
only a disking will be needed in the
busy season of spring. What is your
opinion in this matter?" There is no
doubt about the mellOwing influence
OF frost. where the soil freezes deeply
in inter There is also no doubt
about the mellowinR influence Of frost,
where the soil freezes deeply in win
ter. There is also no doubt that, in
the South land plowed in the fall and
left bare all winter will lose more fer
tility Ia a the meliowing is WORTH
Prof. Massey's reply will be fOund
below together with other inquiries
and
IF l plowed a piece Of heavy land
in the fall l would also SOW rye on
IL as a winter cover, and would re-
pillow in the spring. But l would
never pillow any LAM in the fall in the
South and leave it bare all winter. 1t
may do very we'll in the North. where
the soil is locked up hard all winter.
To practice this. but in the South l
would never do it unless I sowed a
winter cover on the land. The best
preparation for corn or cotton in the
South is a winter cover Of crimson
clover. n the late fall blowing pre-
vents this. 1 would not hesitate to
pillow a piece, of heavy and in the
late fall. provided rye was sown on
it. and 1 think that the fall blowing
with this will be a great advantage
TO heavy soil, and the more organic
decay We can get into UGH a soil the
more mellow it will become. Then,
in the case OF clay hills, where it is
desirable to max a deep bed of loose
soil to prevent washing, the fall is
the best time to deeply subsoil such
lands. In fact, they are about the
only lands where deep s~ubsoiling will
pay. Subsoiling the hills can be best
done in the fall, for the soil is then
dryer. In the spring, when the sur
face is in good blowing condition, the
subsoii is apt to be too wet for sub.
soiling. But never leave land bare il
the South in winter"
Can [ now SOW herds grass either il
TALL or spring? Which is best. anc
what date would you advise the SOW
ing, and how much seed an acre."
l would never SOW herds grass, req
top. alone. at any season. 1t is a lat
grass and makes a heavy crop
In fact, it cures lighter than any gras
know. 1t is a good grass to mi.
with timothy, to make a better bot
tom for the timothy. I have neve
sown 1t alone, but have. sown tel
nnrlndS zach IF tip,Dfhry ,nl -ol 49,
The red top seed is very fine and goe
a good way. and il L was sowing
alone | do not know hat / woul
SOW any more than with timothy. ]
thrives best on the anne kind Of Ian
that timothy prefers: a moist and fer
tile soil, and on many bottom land
It comes in naturally. l have sown
in n fall with wheat and oats, an
have had very good success in SOW
ing II with spring oats in March. b,
l would consider it a waste of Ian
anu D TO sow herds grass, as Va
call 1t. unmixed with other grasses,
I wanted it for hay.
Fertilizer for Cotton.
Il find that il pays TO fertili,
heavily for cotton. and l am doing s
II this year made over a bale a
acre. l have figured out a mixtul
that I propose to use per acre ne,
spring. and would like to have VOL
opinion:
800 pounds Of cotton-seed meal.
100 pounds Of muriate OF potash
400 pounds OF S-3-3.
zoo pounds of acid phosphate
per cent. making LOO pounds an ac,
IL that is not a good formul
please give me one that would be be
ter"
Your formula would give YOU
excess Of nitrogen over other pia
FOODS. You will have too low a De
centage OF p~hosphoric acid. and plen
OF potash probably, though / cam
say as { the needs OF your soil /
this. Chen Won mr. in a LOT Of a raad