The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-31
It'll THE FARMERS
ByProf. w. F. MASSEY

1000 pounds OF 16 per cent ncid phog-
phate, 100 pounds nitrate Of soda, 700
pounds cotton seed meal or fish scrnp
and zoo pounds OF muriato OF potash
to mako ton. UHo half of what you
apply In the furrow and half broad
cast. for cotton roots run far and wide
across the rows, anu the fertilizer
should be there for them. In good
mixture. In which plenty Of acid phos-
phatc is used. / would not use tankage
on tobacco. The best organic source
for nitrogen for tobacco il pure dried
blood. Potash for tobacco should al
ways be In the form of the high grade
sulphate. The muriato makes tobacco
late and green, and If 1t is to be burned.
TT causes II to burn badly and makes
poor smoking tobacco. An excess OF
phosphorus makes tho leaves OF to-
bacco thin and papery and the veins
| large. An excess of ammonia may
cause too late ripening. In good
| mixture I have never had an excess
OF potash when in the form of sui
/ phate, and I always want 10 per cent
I of potash In a tobacco fertilizer. While
T, the formula / have heretofore given
/ for tobacco has done finely in the
old bright tobacco counties along the
| Virginia line. 1t will have an excess
of nitrogen for much Of the land in
/ your section. unless used in much small
| err amount than I'm Granville County.
There IL has been used at the rate of
ZOO pounds an acre. while in your
more moist soil 400 to 500 pounds will
| be better.
buying Fruit Trees.
| Us 1t better to get Northern grown
fruit trees for planting here?" No.
/ Wien you need trees. get them from
the nearest good nursery, and get
] them In better shape and at less cost
| for freight There ure good nurseries
| In Virginia and North Carolina. and
there is no need for going North and
paying more probably for the trees and
greatly more freight. Home grown
trees are better for our planting than
those grown at n distance and on diff
ferert soil Then buy direct from the
nursery and not from n travelling
agent, for the nursery prices will BIO
less than those Of the agent. who has
his travelling expenses and delivery
! costs to pay. OF course. there are agents
selling for reliable nurseries. and
there are others who are frauds. When
a travelling agent tells you wonderful
tales about the special Value of his
trees above all others II Is safe to set
| the credentials of the agent from a
we'll known nursery before dealing with
1 .:!ui.
Indian Hummer Ducks.
woman correspondent recently
asked about tho feed of Indian Runner
ducks and ! referred the matter to
our readers. l have tho following
! from Meadow Brook Farm. Ivor, Va.
/ The following mash we consider good.
as we are feeding II to fifteen ducks.
and get an average OF twelve eggs
every night: 90 per cent wheat bran
by weight; 20 per cent corn meal by
weight: 10 per cent meat scraps by
1 rar ant s1na rft h., al,
If the eighteen ducks have good
capacity, they should be fed about
two and thrce-quarter pounds OF the
above mash in the morning and the
f, same amount at noon. AT night give
/ them all tie cracked corn they will
eat up clear and quickly. Always
keep before them fine ground oyster
shells, ground charcoal and six or eight
inches of water In tho drinking yes
sci. and never allow them to be
frightened. At night. and till nine i'm
the morning. keep them in an open
front house. and have several inches
of clean litter on the floor" appre-
ciatc this, and will BIO glad to have
our poultry friends give their expert
cnce at any time. since this editor Is
not poultrymGr by any means. till
they come on the tatle.
Improving n Run-Down Farm
Isle OF Wight County: Last spring
bought n tract of land adjoining my
farm. Part is light sandy soil with
subsoil of yellow sand and a little CLAW.
and all poor Had been cropped by
tenants till IT made five to fifteen
bushels of corn an acre Plowed IL
/ six or eight inches deep and applIed
800 pounds of l6 per cent phosphate
and planted soy beans In rows four feet
apart intending to put n row OF COW
| peas between. But few Of the beans
fha al
leaving what beans there were. Part
OF the peas grew and made few peas
1 urned hogs on them, and they have
ieit httlo Subtle on part of the field,
While part is quito bare. bought
this land that might get three-year
rotauon OF corn. peanuts. rape and soy
Deans and sweet potatoes. Ten acres
or II are In alfalfa and doing well
nave ten acres OF rich, low land. tile
drained and we'll set in grass for a
permanent pasture. In order to start
TIE rotation. want to plant the bought
heid In corn, and want TO know what
20 40 to get the best crop. and have
.no idilu IN condition to produce Grim
son clover after the corn Is cut and
shocked in the fall. / think the land
needs limo and some OF 1t tile drainage
ana ! VIII drain 1t. l propose to plow
early and spread 1000 pounds of lime
ana let 1t remain till am ready to
'pPiS commercial fertilizer In the
eprlhE. ROW shall I make good corn
crop and get tho land to make ciover7
large part of my farm Is similar land.
ma was very poor, but. by persistent
eHort, 1 succeeded in getting crimson
clover. and this year made ffty-six
bushels OF corn IN acre the cron
through, and expect to get nearly
ioo ousheis an acre Of peanuts If
can get tho land to grow crimson
clover. have no fear of It's future"
have endeavored to condense your
very lengthy letter to get Mt your ideas
as clearly as possible, have seen the
iand IN various parts OF Isle of Wight.
and have been impressed with the fact
.hat most Of 1T is capable OF q high
Improvement, even where not natural
~ so good as that near Smithfield
"hat the land needs doubtless you
nave mentioned. lime first to restore Its
sweetness, Apply 1000 mounds of tho
shell lime an aero after plo1yinr -,