The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-23

4t&1SSF But we have the
w. F. Massey. early blight, and 1t
liz fully as important to prevent this as
the late blight, IL we are to keep the
foliage good. and good foliage Is as
important for the carly crop as for the
latc one. have just seen the report
from the Vermont Station, which says
that even III years when no blight APP
pcared, the Bordeaux mixture Increased
the crop OIL potatoes, always enough to
make IT pay we'll to spray Then, too
when Paris green is mixed In the Bor-
deaux II sticks far better than where
simply mixed in water, and far less
poison is needed to destroy the beetles
The Vermont station gives the average
WELD for twenty years at eos bushels
an acre. where the potatoes were
sprayed. and 1873 bushels an acre where
not sprayed. showing an average gain
81 le5 bushels an acre from Spraying
Ihc New York station advises six
apraTnga. and says that while one
spraying is good, more arc better. But
spraying should be done before there
~ any appearance of blight either early
or tate As Il rule. those who spray
most make the best crops, and IL does
not pay TO use poison alone when we
can fight the insects better with tho
poisoii IN the Bordeaux, and nt the
same time keep the foliage healthy.
More Lime Queries.
mere Secms to be no end TO the
queries about lime | have two now
before me which ! Will treat together
one writes: II am getting Il carload OF
Sround limestone. Docs IL make any
hinorencc where IL comes from: VIII
4 turn back to rock In the soil? is
there anything Ia il to eat papcr OF.
lutc sacks There is an extra charge
for sacking. but IL Is easier TO handle
than in bulk, and we can make sure OF
the weight better, VIII it do any harm
10 spread 1000 pounds an acre of this
rock on oats. where cottonsced meal
was used Oh the OATS The second let
Ter says: VIII you advise me about the
'ise of burnt lime and ground lime
stone Neighbours say the ground rock
~ OF no value and praise the burnt
lime. can buy burnt lime for So a
ION and ground lines tone for $50. My
land in sandy. with red clay subsoiI
Glover grows we'll one year ana then
dies out. And FOR composing with
corn stalks. leaves, etc. should the
pile be open or covered?' TO the first
correspondent ] would say that IL docs
make difference where the rock
comes from, and | would only buv on
a guaranteed analysis. showing that
the rock has 60 per cent of lime car
Donate. Dolomite limestone Will run
lower and have a large percentage Of
magnesia, There is no danger that the
ground rock Will turn back to rock.
Now, what are you using IT. for? II
rate of LOGO pounds An acre on the
oats, and that small amount Of ground
rock viii have little influence Ia sweet
ching acid soil One thousand
pounds an acre of slaked burnt lime
VIII have decided influence in sweet
ching the soil. and IL would take from
one to two tons OF the ground rock TO
make the same effect and then take q.
longer time. To the second corrcspon-
dent would say that II you can get
T,,.y f,l. Il a.
would be cheaper than ground rock at
Si.50 for good lime Will Stake ut least
double. and 1000 pounds OF the slaked
lime VIII have "a better effect ana more
speedy than Il tor OF the ground lime
stone. That is. IL Will have this effect
IN swcetening the soil. and this is what
we mainly use lime for. II clover
thrivcs one year on Your land ] doubt
that lime is much needed. II clover
thrives one year there is no reason why
II should not thrive longer if the humus
conditions In your soil are good. Glover
dies out often. not because the soil is
acid but from lack Of the plant foods
that clover especially demands, phos-
phorus and potash. and from deficiency
OF hunUs for retaining moisture. Be
fore lining II is always we'll TO test the
soil with the blue litmus paper, to as
certain whether ii is acid or not. Where
lime is used to break down organic
matter the piles should. of course, be
exposed to the weather.
Alfalfa East aud West.
II have heard that In the Western
arid plains. where alfalfa thrives so
wonderfully, they never use lime. But
IN the East. all authorities claim that
lime is essential to success? The rea-
son for the difference Is easily ex-
planned. Lime reaches down rapidly In
a. soil where there is an abundant rain
TALL. and the soil becomes acid In
The arid and semi-arid sections, there
is:not enough rainfall to carry the lime
down, and il remains In the soil. and
new applications are not needed III
these sections there is more trouble
from alkal than from acidity. The
success of alfalfa in the dry West is
very largely due TO the abundance OF
limo in the soil, and hero i'm the East,
we have 20 restore the slight aka
Unity OF the soil by artificial appli-
cations OF lime.
Montreal Melons.
II noticed at some OF the fancy
fruit stores last fall some very large
canteloupes that were selling at fancy
prices. They told me that they are
imported from Montreal, Canada, and
that they cannot be grown here. Do
you know anything about them?" Yes.
They are known rs the Montreal
Market melon. have grown them
liere and had them to weigh nearly
twenty pounds. But in our climate,
and in our methods of culture, they
never develop the sweetness OF those
grown in Canada. In fact, while I
have grown them fully as large as the
imported ones. have never had one
iii TO eat. Tie Canada growers start
them in pots In greenhouse in late
February. and shift them from small
to larger pots. Some start them in
iotbcds protected by mats. and claim
that better plants are made there than
III Il greenhouse. They are then o.
nally transplanted to frames I'm which
{. It deep trench is dug and filled nearly
iull OF rotten manure and covered with
earth, and the plants are set six feet
apart and the glass sashes still used,
and careful attention given to water
ing and airing; and finally. as the
weather gets permanently warm, the