The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-31
WITH THE FARMERS
BY Prof. w. F. MASSEY

d to rrofesssr Ma>rcy mus. have STAMP i.cIssea

To sow alfalfa VIII be glad to have
any suggestions rs TO the quantity
~ lime or limestone to be applied, and
N'hen ana in what manner to apply it,
ana your advice as to commercial for,
'ilizers on these nclds. both Of which
arc rcd clay SOIL naturally drained?
live in Ohio, and have not yet come
To- the farm Ia Charlotte You VIII
ma that the soil and climatic condi-
lions in Charlotte County are very
Inherent from those in Ohio. expect
chat tests Will show that the land
needs lime.
II you can get fresh lump Time de-
iivercd at 1913 per ton. IL will Stake
double in bulk, ana Will Increase In
weight TO ton and a half after slak
ing Then, 1000 pounds of this s!aked
lime VIII have as good or better I'm
'he"in,e effect than ton or the
ground limestone. and the effect of
the limestone viii depend on the fine
ness OF the artici. II it is pulverizel
TO a powder, II VIII have effect sooner.
out coarscly ground limestone VIII be
SLOW IN swceteting the coil. At the
prices named. II the limo is fresh lump
i'me' would greatly prefer % use the
itop0 POUNDS an acre. narrowed In af-
tcr pIowinE the land for corn AS
SUPPOSE, at the start you Will have no
sou TO turn for the corn, YOU VIII have
i"T INC present TO use = complete fer
tiHer mixture. about what is called
an $3.50 fertilizer at rate of 800 pounds
I'm acre But do not SOW the Grim
son clover At laying by the corn. You
will risk loss of the clover from, SOW
inS that early. The best time TO SOW
crimson clover in Charlotte will he
whe: the corn is cut and shocked in
september. GU can SOW tho cowpeaa
and SOY beans at last working of the
corn. and, IL you choose to take tho
s1f In
Try the clover at that time. and II It
escapes. All the better. and if lost, you
VIII sun have time TO SOW again. To
teturn 70 the lining. / do not con-
slder IT Wise 70 make too heavy an APP
p!ication at once. but moderate an
pAcatioh OF 1000 pounds an aero OF
s!aked lime repeated every five years
III good rotation Of crops Will be
netter than heavy application at
I"nHer intervals. You should plan n
rotation at once. and always have q
sod TO turn for corn. and save the use
or complete fertilizer.
Soil Analysis
am asked by several where they
ca" get their soil analysed, In ordc.
10 be better Informed as 10 its fer
tli2atlon. have uniformly told them
that they can only get ii done by a
commercial chemist, who would prob
AMY charg. not lCss than SO TO make
a complctc analysis. and that after /,
~ don" II VIII be little or no helm to
theul. for, While the chemist could tell
them what the soil contains. he could
not give them any information as 20
the availability Of tho plant foods for
cropS The late DIR : ". Johnson on.
OF the best agricultural chemists we
nave had In this country, said in on.
OF his letters: Soil analysis at b.st
is "A chance game, always interesting
often valuable, rarely economical" IL
may he valuable 10 an investigator ~
SOILS, but never OF much value To tn.
FARMER There are two advisers ne
says, VIC should beware of-thc farmer
VINO thinks hc knows q little science
ana The chemist who thinks he knows
a HttIe OF farming. The one turnps TO
conclusions. not always warranted by
ms facts ard the other assumes TINT
farming Is simply chemistry. One Of
'heSe latter once wrote in farm
paper that in making a fertilizer We
should use all that analysis show. 70
contained III the plant. asked him
'hcn no" much sugar and starch and
ac'cs wc should use in a fertilizer
sih1c all these are :ound In piants ue
Afnp!y failed 10 understand thar many
substances contaiIed In plants coma
from the air and not from III. soil
an" hence are useless as Fertilizer
in the soil
treatment for Young Orchard.
fo"hatan County: II am very nucb
Interested IN the advice YOU arc ,-iv-
ing IN The Times Dispatch. and now
wish Tor Information in regard IN :,
Young orchard OF rftv tr..s n.h;.