The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-07
WITH THE FARMERS
By Prof. w. F. MASSEY

amount OF this humus- ma king material
man manure simply spread In the FUR
rows hve feet apart 5
This year Mr. Allen s,,. 49,. ~,
men who are paying s3.25 tnn ~.
INC New York manure will be bodIy
iel. IL the melon crop proves unnro0f &
apie, rs II sometimes does ana 10 ,a
sure mat tho clover will bo Of ,,rnoto,,
cement 10 the land. and make ns good
crops OF melons as the mnnure u,bicr
is always reinforced with fer,,,ize,
one OF the greatest drawbacks to tha
Southern trucker is the effect m III,
iand or constant dependence ONLY OH
commercial fertilizers without keeninp
up the humus in his soil | have Of
zen urged our sweet potato growers
mat 1T would be far more profltabIe to
nave growth OF crimson clover All
over the land for this crop than m he,
every winter laboriously rakine nm and
iiauiihS ana spreading pine straw 10
turn under for the potatoes Some
VINO nave done this have found that i
was right, and that the clover la far
better than the pine straw 1t seems
to mo that commercial fertilizera n,
connection with an abundant use of
the cheaper forms OF plant food in
acid phosphate and potash would prove
iar more profitable to tho truckers
tnan the constant dependence on fer
tilizers alone To make their CROPS,
The more organic decay we get into
inc SOIL, the more moisture it retains
and this moisture viii aid in the So
luton of the fertilizers used, and make
them more effective In dry weather.
In fact, the STORMS. OF the soil with
humus will do nearly as much good
as artificial irrigation. 1t would take
hundreds of dollars spent for stable
manure on Mr.. Aliens large planting
TO equal abcu. S2,5 an acre spent for.
Grover seed. In fact, as have said,
the manure In tho burrows only could
not furnish as much nitrogen or
humus- making material MS the dense
growth OF clover all over the land
Making Garden.
Buncomb County, n. G.: Cleared a.
plot OF ground for a garden last spring
and with some manure and fertilizers
got some vegetables. but not great
success. The whole plot Is now in rye
on which acid phosphate was used and
am hauling on it the manure as fast
as made. Should L mix wood ashes
with this manure? VIII wood ashes
answer as We'll as muriate of potashc
When should the rye be turned under!
In these mountains we are not safe
from frost Till after the 10th OF May. +
suppose that | should plant garden
peas before that date. After turning
the rye, and adding wood ashes lie YOU
think proper will 1t be necessary to
add other fertilizer for each crop, po-
'dtoto ipI 1Ou SnOulC turn
the rye under as soon as it is foot or
more high. 1t will give you some hui
mus making material. but will add
nothing to the soil but what it got
from IT. If you have sown crimson
clover last fall you would have had IL
better crop TO turn under, even though
only half grown Never mix wood ash
es with manure, the lime In them
will release the ammonia. You can
Drofitably apply them literally or ton
or more nm acre. after turning under
tho rye and manure. / doubt that pot
ash is essential in your soil, but the
wood ashes have other ingredients
like lime and some phosphoric acid
that makes them valuable on any
soils. You should get garden peas In
as soon as YOU can get chance to
work the soil in good order. Down
here elm our sandy soil near tho sen
plant the extra early peas In January
ruary. Whether you Will need other
fertilizers than tho manure and ashes
will depend on tho amount Of these
applied. j am using rotten street
sweepings ut rate OF sixty tons an acre.
Perhaps you can get these in Asheyille
II not too long a haul. At any rate,
to mako good vegetable crops you
must be liberal In the manuring and
fertilization. In my garden, after COW
ering IL thickly with the rotted street
sweepings, / apply acid phosphate and
potash ut rate OF 1000 pounds an acre.
Us my soil is sandy and needs the pot.
ash.