The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-14


Virginia i would prefer to uso the
large Black pea for hay. This Is later
than the WhippoorwilL but much
earlier than the Wonderful, and makes
heavy crop of hay. From the way
X grows and tanglcs u Is harder to
save than the Whippoorwill. but IL
you run a tcdder right after the mower
II will clear the track and help the
mower while helping wilt the hay.
Never NOW peas TIL tho pods turn
yellow.
Sowing Rye I'm Orchard.
~ want Ia SOW my orchard in rye
or something green for the chickens.
Will 1t damage the trees 20 plow now?"
You do not say what sort of an or
chard 1t is. whether apples or peaches
A peach orchard should have been
kept well cultivated TIL July. and then.
when the growth for the season Is
complete. II will do no harm 10 SOW
rye or clover in It. II the orchard Is
apples. and has not been cultivated In
the early part Of the season. the plow-
ing now might induce an untitnely
new growth at time when the com
pleted growth of the season should be
allowed to mature. or the proper
treatment OF apple and other orchards,
/ will treat fully later.
subsoiIinR.
When is the best time 10 subsoIl
lang? My land is gravelly on top. with
a heavy red clay subsoil" Where sub
soiling viii do good, the best time TO
do 1t Is in the fall Subso!iing is
very valuable on hill lands that arc in
clined TO wash. but on fat clay soil.
whore the drainage is needed more
than anything else, subsoiling Will be
OF little advantage. the SOIL Will
settle right back again. In fact on
level lands in general doubt the pro-
nj
that are inclined 10 leach will be dam
aged by subJoiling. In such soils we
need TO keep il sort OF hard pan be-
low the blowing. and on level lands In
general good eight-inch breaking
is rs good as subsoilinK But on the
hills the case is very different There.
! would subsoil deeply 10 hold the rain
water ana to prevent washing, and. as
Il rule. these ar. the only lands /
would subsoil
Alfalfa on Upland.
VIII alfalfa grow successfully here
on fairly good upland? Will IL he nee
cssary TO lime or !noculate? raised
great deal OF alfalfa In Northwest
Missouri. whore ! formerly lived. and
think more OF 1t than any crop on the
farm There is no doubt of the sue
cess Of alfalfa on reasonably good soil
that is well drained Lime seems es-
sentinl 10 It's success on most Of our
soils, though l know Of one section in
North Carolina. on red lands In Orange
County near Hillsboro where they
have been growing alfalfa successfully
for more than nifty years. and have
never used lime. But IL seems that on
the majority OF our soils lining is es-
sential to success with alfalfa, and II
is also desirable 10 inoculate the land
for the best results This can be done
by using soil from an old alfalfa field
or getting the artificial culture known
as Farm ogcrn 10 !noculate the seed
before sowing. Then. too. most OF our
soils need heavy applications OF phos-
phoric acid, and In some OF them pot
ash. TO encourage the growth OF any
legume crop. Alfalfa is not a crop for
poor land. Before sowing II on run
down land IT Will be important to get
the land up into better shape by grow
ing peas and crimson clover and lin
ing as preparation for alfalfa AL
falfa is not a crop to take into short
rotation for the improvement of worn
land. That can be better accomplished
oy a short rotation with peas and
clover But n small piece, at least in
alfalfa. VIII be found very valuable
on every farm. II IS now being grown
in various parts OF the State with per-
rect success. saw beautiful field
OF alfalfa last summer down on the
Pamunkey River. and in the northern
part OF the state II is being grown on
large scale with perfect success
have seen II thriving on heavy clay and
on light sandy soil! and the conditions
all over Virginia are favorable TO the
crop, II the soil Is in the proper state
OF fertility.
California Ynms.
A correspondent in Warwick asks
where he can get the California yam
He says that he grew white skinned
yam at his fathers before the Hayman
was introduced. but IL has disappeared
IL" gave description of II to a dealer
in the South. and he replied that it
was evidently the California yam he
wanted. and he did not know where
to get it. | never heard OF any potato
called California yam. There was for
merly cultivated in Southeast Maryland
white potato called Ansuilla. but that
has disappeared. It may he that the
yam my correspondent is after is the
Tolman Spanish. This is grown by n
Shore OF Virginia for home use. They
grow the yellow potatoes for the
Northern markets. and the Spanish to
eat at home, and If YOU go over into
Northampton have no doubt that you
could ind the potato at the proper
season.
Buckwhcnt for Hogs.
VIII buckwheat make good pas
ure for hogs?" Hogs Will doubtless
eat green buck wheat. but the amount
OF feed 1t will make will not at all
compare with what you could get from
sowing cowpeas or soy beans Cow
peas. L would consider, worth four
tifnes as much for hog pasture as the
puckwhear and soy beans Will be
worth still more. because of the high
feeding value OF the beans. Buck
wheat is good crop to SOW in Au-
gust, as nurse crop for crimson
clover, but 1t would last as hog feed
a very short time and would not make
anywhere near the crop of feed on
the same land that the peas or soy
beans VIII make I cannot understand
the sudden interest taken in buck
wheat for hogs. as have had several
letters asking this same question.
Side Dressing for Corn,
Please let me know what you con-
slider the best side dressing for corn
that is laid by with peas sown among
II. l always get plenty OF stalk, but
want more and larger ears" would
not. under these conditions. apply any
heterogeneous fertilizer like nitrate OF
soda as the result of that woul6 no