The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-24
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

itnulIS.
Recently farmer In North Carolina
wrote TO Inc asking what kind Of grass
TO put on Il terrace bank TO keep il
from washing. told him that tho
best thing know was 10 have no tor
race banks. The so-callcd terraces In
the cotton country have grown out Of
tn. shallow blowing and the total lack
In the constantly cultivated land Of
humus material to hold the soil to-
rcthcr. When the summer floods
come. tho three or four surface inches
plowcd get III a scinilIGuid state and
must run down hill, because there is
no sod to hold II together, and the
water cannot sink into the hard clay
ie!ow. Eut where a sod is broken for
the hocd crop. ana the land is plowed
deeply and SUBSIDIZED still deeper, there
is not only Hbrous material 10 hold
thc soil, but e deep. loose bed to hold
II ana save III" moisture for the dry
weather. | have cultivated as steep
NILS AS ever 4 horse could be used
ulou. ana never made = terrace nor q
gully, for / always had u sod u turn
Tor "a 1ocd crop ana broke tho soil SO
deeply that there was no chance for
the water to run down Hill. But ali
this VIII be unavailinS to check wash
ing II the corn crop or cotton crop is
laid by with q ridge to every row anu
valleys made between TO eaten the va
ter and gather a head to break over.
diling one furrow after another TIL
torrent runs down hin and n gully
~ started Deep breaking, with Il sod
always for hocd crop and then per-
fcctly level and shallow cultivation OF
the hood crop, will do more TO prevent
the washing Of the hills than any ter
race that ever was made. Severa!
Northern farmers who have settled on
the hills OF Georgia have taken my adj
vico and have done away with the old
terraces and need none OF them. The
only lands that are really benefited b.
subsoil!ug are tho rcd hills Of the
south. on level lands subsolling Is
seldom OF any help.
several Gears ago | was on the farm
OF Clarendon Davis. near Huntsville,
Ala lie had recently undertaken the
Improvement OF an old CALLED and
quilted farm, and urged him 10 devote
his attention 10 deep plowlns. and the
storing az vegetable matter In the
land. instead OF spending money on
terraces. and having th.m always in
Tho issue OF the Southern Farm Journal
an article from Mr. Davis IN which he
says: Years ago. when took up the
task OF restoring an old cotton farm TO
II producing basis. Professor
Masser Il leave OUT some compn-
mcntary rernarks). advised me to piow
my h-llsidcs deep, and - add humUs-
forming materials, TO prevent them
from washing That his advice was
sound has been well proven on ms
farm. some men have terraced their
farms. ana have been successful farm
ors; yet cannot help bat believe tina,
had they pract!ced the level tulage
f Il 81 ,fl.,.
by Professor Massey. they would have
accomplished more, Win less cNpcndi-
tuic OF time and energy"
Mr.. Davis is one Of the largest and
most successful farmers In Alabama
or the whole south. "a Kcrtuckian. and
a believer In good stock. ana ne raises
mules. too. for the Southern market
and always has i strong sod TO turn
ior hood crop ! aid no, start out TO
break my rule OF not writing essays.
but TINS matter OF blowing and pro
lection OF the soil Is very important.
Now 20 my correspondents
Gns-Iiouse Lime, Etc.
Pittsylvania County: What is tin,
efficiency OF gas-house lime IN remov-
inE the acidity from the soil, as com
pared with ground limestone or burnt
lime: The gas people have discon-
tnucd the use o! line in the produc-
tion o! gas. but We md quite lot OF
this by-product on hand at the Dan
VIE gas works which has lain out in
heaps for I'VE or SIX years What pro-
portions OF nurigtc o! potash nitrate.
OF soda viii give the best results.
a!onE with 400 pounds or acid phos-
Lnatp a. a top dressing. for grasses %
J ne old gas lime VIII have about 30
per cent of lime carbonate, would
assume, and, having lain out in the
weather so long. +, has los; It's poison
Gus character Fresh gas lime has sui
Phatss ana other matters that are
poIsons to plant life. and should never
De used until The weathcring has dis
s!pated these. In its present condition
!! IL can be made fine enough to snread
~ VIII answer better than ground
tock' ana VIII be equal TO slaked burnt
'i'uc oil the same percentage
or ,opuFessinG grass on your soils
would leave out the potash entireI,
on red land. For your red soils nav
iuI!! -o'oop pounds Of potash an acre
M the upper six inches. which limo anc
vegetable decay VIII release az fast
As crops need IT. on gray. sand,
SOILS some potash may ho useful. ano
certainly IS useful on bright tobacco
AS 81 topdrcss!ng for grass. 400 pound.
OF acid phosphate and 100 pounds of
nitrate Of soda will give profitable re.
suits. The remaining questions VIII
be answered by mail
FrrtiiixinE Old Apple Trees.
read with treat pront and plea
sure your talks in The Times Dispatcn
nave here in King George County
some large apple trees. when 7 wish
10 fertiliHe. and must trust 20 some ono
else 10 do it. as am AN inyali,,
Please tell me how much commercial
ef'.nzer 10 use over the roots OF 4
sood-sizcd tree. as have no uarnyarh
manure mat can Ice spared for this
purpose Tie trees should be plowed
"ct"eeh' and the fertilizer narrowed
IN. Get fertilizer strong In nitrogen
or ammonia. rs they print II on the
H'cNs' ana in potash. with a fair per
oeh'"sc OF phosphoric acid Then
measure tho area between a point Ave
leet from the trunk ana the outmos,
spread OF the branches, ana spread a
pi"i'eI OF pound OF the fertilizer to
every twenty square feet but mona nm
lc"r INC trunk. rs tho feeding roots
NANNY our where tho limbs drip.
Trouble with Hedge.
Il have an Amoor River p.iyot bcd,,,
around my homcplacc, which. on tbo