The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-04
WITH THE FARMERS
By Prof. w. F. MASSEY

that the fall Is decidedly the best time
to SOW clover seed Of any sort, and
read recently statement from II
Connecticut farmer that he succeeded
up there in sowing red clover in the
fall with wheat. but wheat is sown
much earlier in New England than
here. Doubtless in all tho lower sec
tons Of the state tho fall sowing OF
red clover will be successful, If not
sown later than September. On strong
and moist bottom land in Albenarlc. !
never failed TO get n good stand OF red
clover when aown among corn at last
working.
did this year after year, and had
the clover in bloom in the spring and
silage after sowing the clover, and the
stubble turned at once for more late
corn and clover sowp again.
Quite IL Batch or Questions.
II have bought a y-eight-acre
farm on the granite formation OF the
Piedmont section. Tell me the quick
est way TO build up this place, as 1t is
quite poor?. y fOur-acrc piece now in
wheat made thirty-thrce bushels OF
wheat two years ago. Would sweet
clover be good to improve this land?
1 am thinking of sowing II on the
land now in wheat In the spring. | use
1O-i on the wheat. What topdressing
should ] Use in the spring? What oats
are best for spring sowing? What Is
the best carly Irish potato and the best
fertilizer for them. | have used u
special potato fertilizer that cost $40
Il ton delivered. Cannot / make Il
cheaper one? l have only about ten
loads of manure. and thought OF using
IL In the burrows for corn. Would il
he better spread broadcast? VIII the
1914 answer to use with the manure?
VIII herds grass do well here7" To
iyYNr sr,la 4
divide it into three fields and make
a thItc-ycar rotation. Start, say, with
corn. spreading the manure as far as
il will go. and adding a liberal amount
of the 1914 broadcast. At last working
of the corn SOW peas OF Il bush nature
and carly. like the New Era and Guilt
vatc them in with the last working Of
the corn. Cut the corn at maturity and
shock II, and then disk down the peas
well. going over repeatedly. and work
in 400 pounds an acre of the 1914 and
SOW wheat After wheat is harvested
break the land well and SOW peas for
hay. After cutting the peas disk the
land thoroughly and make the surface
fine and ada more OF The 1914 and sow
wheat again. Follow the wheat again
with peas and cut them for hay. and
SOW crimson clover seed. fifteen pounds
an acre" on the pea stubble. and during
the winter haul out and spread ON this
clover all the manure made from feed
ing the pea hay, corn stover and stra "
and turn all under iii the spring for
corn. and repeat the rotation. In this
way you can give every field a dress
ing of manure once in three years, will
have two crops of wheat and two Of
pea hay and crop of corn every year,
and will be getting Iuinus into the land
from the peas and clover and manure
Let the sweet clover alone and stick
10 peas and crimson clover. The sweet
clover may do very well In the North
west, where they cannot do so much
with peas and crimson clover. but down
here 1t is more weed than anything
else for cattle do not like il. The Irish
cobhler is more planted now than any
other early potato. You can make a
fertilizer by mixing 200 pounds OF
acid phosphate. 400 pounds OF cotton
seed meal and 400 pounds OF muriate
OF potash to make ton. Use 900
pounds an acre for early potatoes
Herds grass. Red Top. will do well on
bottom land, but should always be in
mixture with other grasses 10 give
weight.