The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-01-04
BETTER TIMES
EXPECTED FOR
THE NEW YEAR
AGRICULTURAL ADVISER WHO
SPENT PART OF TIME DURING
PAST WEEK IN TRUCKING SEC
TioNs, FINDS GENERALLY oP-
TIMfsTIc SPIRIT.

TiMfSTlC Spill
I made a few calls this week IN the
trucking sections Of the county ami
find an optimistic spirit generally pre-
vailing, with looking forward TO pet
ter times for the new year.
The winter truck crops arc looking
well and Just now, when the market
Is bare of such products, prices arc
ruling high. A large acreage mas beeil
planted to cabbage and while some OF
tina nes,ds are going to be late in being
really for the market DeiIeFe INC
crop will prove very satisfactory as
repcrts from northern nlsTkeLs snow
supl,IIes to be short there
1t is q pleasure to call attention 70
some Nery fine crops of truck mater - ].
One of the best of these IN the county
at the present time is on Mr.. Jim Van
Pelts place on the hard road between
Brent and Olive. The cabbage, beet
and tuTnip crops on Mr. Van Pelt
piace are worth going some dIGtaJlce 10
see, and right there is where ore gets
an object lesson OF what stable manure
will do when literally applied to the
soil. for Mr. Van Pelt uses stable ma -
nure in large quantities aud &c gets
results; and when our farmers ana
truchers will wal0en up to realize the
value of stable manure to thc land
hey will keep more live tCch iuG
have their fertilizer factory Ut home
in their barns, than which there is no
thing to equal for soil building IN our
sandy lands.
There is the prospect OF q larger
acreage than usual being planted TO
Irish potatoes for u spring crop. Z his
seems q good crop to grow AM one
that is, generally speaking, t3lrly
llrofitable The best time in tbs lati-
tude to plant the crop IS between the
last of January and middle Of eb-
ruaFy. This crop should be TAINTED
where drainage is good as water stand
on the surface for even a few hours
at a time is apt to cause rot: the land
should be well broken a few weeks
ahead OF planting time and if heavy
rains occur between breaking the land
and planting time, the crust caused
by the rain should be kept broken by
the use OF the harrow, Wceder, or cult.
yator. When ready to plant, open fur
rows about three and a half feet apart,
apply fertilizer in these burrows at the
rate of about one thousand pounds per
acre, scattering it well in the applying,
SO too much of it will not lie in any
one place; then cover slightly by turn
ing small furrow from each side: this
Will make a small fiat ridge and when
ready to plant the seed, split upw this
ridge by q SCOOTER pillow and layNFthe
cuttings about fifteen inches apart in
this furrow: then cover slightly by
means of a board or small plow. The
fertilizer for Irish potatoes should an
six per cent phosphoric acid, eight per
cent potash. If fertilizer of this
grade or nearly so cannot be had. one
can use the following materials for q
ton, mixing 100 pounds nitrate of
soda, 200 pounds dried blood, 600
pounds cottonseed meal. 500 pounds IS
per cent acid phosphate, and SEQ
pounds sulphate of potash. Another
mixture OF about the same analysis
will be 1000 pounds blood and bone, 100
pounds nitrate of soda, 500 pounds
phosphoric acid, and 400 pounds sui
phate of potash. If one has TO mix
his own fertilizer. care should be ex
ercised to get the materials well mixed,
so that it is OF a uniform texture.
In preparing for an Irish potato crop,
the proper seed is of great Importance
A poor quality of seed will naturally
give low yield, and the variety most
suitable is also very important: either
the Red Bliss Triumph of Early Rose
No. 4, or part of each, is recommend
ed. Northern grown seed is not a sue
cess in Florida; set the eastern grown
article and yon will be reasonably more
successful
Another crop that has been a money
maker for some truckers is the radish
crop; this crop should be got under
way Immediately, using plenty of fer
ultzer, but broadcasting 1t, making
rows about two feet apart, and plant
ing every ten days up till early April
VIII enable one to have always crisp
fresh radishes. fertilizer high in
ammonia and potash is best for this
crop, as we want a quick growth and
the hnish that the potash gives: being
short period crop, we want the fer
uiiger of quick availability and par
ticularIy the ammonia in il of an or
ganic origin 6-6-10 is a good fer
ulizer to use. To get this, use for
raw materials $50 pounds dried blood
500 pounds acid phosphate and $50
pounds nluriate Of potash; buy the seed
a an y,Ssa
Scarlet variety.
Among the vegetables that can De
planted now we NAV mention: aspara-
gus seed fer transpianting to perma-
nent beds next fall: Brussels sprouts
(plants and seed); cabbage plants and
seed for March transplanting: cauli-
dover plants, and seed for field plant
ing In March; collards; egg plant seed
In sheltered location; leeks seed and
plants; lettuce seed (Big Boston and
Salamander yarietiesl mustard of the
Extra Curled variety; onion SETS onion
plants from seed sown in fall: Spanish
onion seed: Prizetaker is recommended,
also Australian Brown and White
Queen tomato seed In protected beds;
turnips. rutabagas. rape, and spinach
At this time of the year the soil is
very cold, particularly SO where no
stable manure is available to help
warm up the soil and put life into it;
the cultivator and rake should be free
IL used; the truck patch should get
a working at least once a week.
This month is a good time TO plant
trees Of all kinds: we hope 10 see a
large Increase Of fruit trees of all
kinds. We are in the fruit belt of the
country and every home should have 8
plentiful supply of fresh fruit for at
least six months Of the wear and pIen-
ty to can TO keep up the table supply
for the balance OF the year.
The SatsuIna orange is at home in
Escambla county soil 50 IS ParSon
Brown. Pineapple, BONES Early and
Jzna- The Duncan grapefruit win do
wei here also: all of these, however,
must be budded on trifoliata stock so
as to maintain. a dormant state ell
winter. KumQuats are a fine fruit and
n few of them should be in every yard;
and so should few fig trees of the
Celeste. Brown Turkey. and White Ad-
rfatic varieties. The peach is at home
here also. and 1t is a reproach on our
intelligence that so few trees of this
very desirable fruit are in evidences in