The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-11
WITH THE FARMERS
BY Prof. w. F. MASSEY
have


Then each year after fruiting clean out
to get IL strong growth Of crowns for
the next season. Strawberries do best
on acid soil. and lime Ia not an advant-
age 70 them. For starting the young
plants tho regular 7-6-5 mixed ferti-
lizcr is good. but tho fruiting plants
should not have so much nitrogen. as
At may make the fruit soft. You can
run Il spike harrow over the grass be
fore growth starts and SOW more seed.
and then brush over with slant tooth
smoothing harrow.
Growing violets.
Chesterfield County: 81 have been
reading your letters I'm The Times
Dispatch and they have been very
helpful to me. I would like to have
some information in regard to growing
viol, is How to get a start. what va
riety TO plant, when TO plant and what
fertilizer TO use? L want to grow them
Tor tho Richmond market" To grow
violc,s YOU can either uae a cool green
house OF cold frames. l prefer to grow
them In frames. using tho double
glazed aashcs. which viii savo using
mats In cold nights.
Niolcts delight in soil with plenty
OF humus or decaycd vegetable matter
and old completely rotten and fine ma
nure. Varieties differ with the market
demand. In come cities there liz a
demand for the single lowered varie-
ties. and In others they want the
double ones. The best double one Is
The Marie Louise. Lady Hume Camp
bell Is also \ good double blue. The
best single lowered and much easier
TO grow Ia the Princess of Wales and
probably the best one for beginner
fertilizer on vioicts, but good COM
post made up some months ahead OF
rotten stable manure and leaf mold
from the woods. The compost Is well
worked into the soil in tho frames In
midsummer. and then you can buy
potted plants and set them in late Au-
gust eight inches apart each way In
tho frames. Give close attention to
them till time to put on the gashes.
and never allow them to suffer from
drought. Keep the runners pinchcd
off, 80 as to get strong crowns Put
on the sasheS soon as the nights
threaten TO be frosty. and take great
care In ventilating the frames in sunny
weather. II YOU use single glazed
sash:s you should get supply of
straw mats for covering the glass In
severe cold nights. But you can get
earlier flowers and better ones with
tho double glazed sashcs. But at all
times pay close attention 10 airing the
frames by propping UP the sashcs in
sunny weather, for violets DISLIKE great
heat In gathering the blooms get well
down to pull the whole stem. In spring
you can, II you have q greenhouse. root
cuttings and grow them in potash dur
Ing the spring and summer. / always
get tho young plants in three inch pots
and pack them closely on a bed Of
sifted coal ashes in a frame whore they
can be daily wQtprei ua
pinched of till time to set In late
August. Set new plants in fresh soil
every fall
A Short Rotation.
Dinwiddie County; 81 have been run.
ning two-year rotation, first corn
and then oats and vetch, followed By
crimson clover and back TO corn On
the clover last year, with 500 pounds
OF acid phosphate. made 100 bushels
of corn an acre. Now want to make
th!ec-year rotation OF corn, peanuts
oats and vetch for hay or wheat. and
TO work In as much crimson clover as
possible and cowpeas with these crops
and Will be glad to have any sugges-
tons as 10 the best way to arrange
these crops. Am in the Spanish peanut
belt OF Dnwiddie. Soil gray sandy
What proportions OF bran, cottonseed
meal and hominy would you advise for
three-gallon COW? Am feeding
shredded corn stover and cowpea hay
which is best. wheat middlings or
bran: What can do to prevent but
ter from tasting buddy In spring.
Thomas Phosphate in Mixture.
Can I mix Thomas phosphate In a
fertilizer with cottousecd meal Just as
would acid phosphate?' No. not If
the mixture IS TO stand any time for
the lime In the Thomas phosphate will
carbonate the ammonia. and there will
be loss. IF the mixture is made, 1t
should be used 1t once.