The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-07-04
INSPECTION OF CROPS.
FARM BUREAU MEMBERS MAKE TOUR
OF COUNTY.

INSPECTION OF CROPS.
FARM BUREAU MEMBERS MAKE TOUT
OF COUNTY.
INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS VIEWED
Forty automobiles, filed with mem
bers OF the Burlington County Farm
Bureau and invited guests, made tour
of inspection of crops on a number Of
farms in this county, on Wednesday
On many Of the farms experiments that
are being conducted by Demonstrators
George 7. Reid were viewed, explained
and commented upon.
1t was all very interesting and in
structive, and furnished much food for
thought and future benefit to all who
were privileged to accompany the tour.
it is quite difficult to understand why
every farmer who desires to be up-to-
date in his business does not become q
member of the bureau and thus avail
himself of the many advantages to be
gained thereby. Not.only is there the
benefit in the line of business, but, as
stated by one of the speakers, rural life
is made more pleasant and desirable by
bringing the members together occasion
ally, when they may become better &C
quainted socially and thus form a COM
munity interest that otherwise would
probably not be created.
The tour started from the Office Of the
Farm Bureau at about $50 a. M, and
proceeded to the farm of Allen M. Feni-
more, on the Jacksonville road. Here
was viewed a potato demonstration of
using seed selected for freedom from dis
ease and strong vitality, known as Will
sons Giants and the Maine Prize. The
latter have shown a disease known as
rhizoctonia or curly leaf throughout the
growing season; the New York state
seed was better and more vigorous.
There was viewed, also, at this farm,
two kinds OF cultivation-one acre ac-
cording to the method suggested by
Demonstrators Reid, using one-horse
cultivator, as compared to the usual
tao-horse and MORROW cultivation fol-
lowed by Mr.. Fenimore and other grow
ers in this county. The Reid method
cultivates shallower AID closer to the
row. There was no apparent difference
in the vines, and the digging of the crop
must be awaited to determine which
method is more desirable.
The potato fields on the Fenimore
place. which is farmed by John Linton,
were remarkably fine in appearance.
The next visit was to the farm of
Henry D. Culin; near Hainesport, where
alfalfa has been grown on land from
which moulding sand had been remov-
ed. The land had been improved, and
other of it is now. being thus prepared,
by growing rye and vetch preparatory to
seeding the alfalfa. A field of 81 acres
that had been dug over and then treated
as above, also inoculated by adding a
little alfalfa seed to the grass mixture in
former years, produced this year on first
cutting, two loads to the acre. The al
falfa seeding was done last fall
The best soil enricher on light land is
the vetch noduIe.
The curing of Mr.. Culin's hay was
also explained. After it had been cut
there was a rainy period of over two
weeks. Mr.. Culin placed the alfalfa in
cocks set on onion crates and covered
each cock with canvas caps 81 inches
square. When uncovered and placed in
the barn the hay was in fine condition
and good green color.
A field of or:ons, grown for seed, was
also inspected Mr.. Cnlin, who makes a
business of growing onion sets, has had
difficulty in procuring seed, SO this year
he determined to raise some at home.
The crop is in fine condition and doubt
less will produce good seed.
On Clifford l.. Engle's farm, adjoining
Culin, there was seen a field of Cobbler
potatoes from homegrown late crop
seed, planted beside northern grown
seed. The Maine seed advanced more
rapidly, probably ten days or two weeks,
but was affected with wilt, which was
absent on the home seed.
Mr.. Engle planted nine acres of Cob
blers last August, which he used for
seed this spring. He planted first,
second and third sizes separately. Very
little difference could be noticed in the
plants of the various size seed.
At ]. Porter Ashbrook's farm, near
Lumberton, there was seen three differ
emit pasture crops for swine-oats and
peas followed by rape, and soy beans for
the latter end of the season. The crops
looked thrifty and the ground was
thickly covered
The best looking field of Giant pota-
toes was seen on the farm of John
Black, on the road from Mount Holly to
Eayrestown. Here an experiment is
being conducted to determine the value
of salt as a fertilizer. On account of the
scarcity of potash it has been claimed
that salt will liberate and make more
available whatever potash that remains
in the soil.
Mr.. Black used about 1900 h. of fer
tilizer to the acre on his potato fields.
Where salt was used there was applied
at the rate of 200 Id. salt and l 800 Id. OF
other fertilizer. These potatoes have
developed about a week behind the
others and the result of the experiment
can be determined only at digging time.
On the farm of Joseph w. Jones there
was seen some very fine fields of Cob
bier and Giant potatoes. Here there is
being conducted experiments on differ
ent depths of planting potatoes-1t inch
as compared to the usual depth of about
| 8 inches. Demonstrators Reid favors
shallow planting.
The experiment thus far has shown
that the shallow seeding produces plants
of earlier growth and slightly earlier
blossom. 1t was argued by advocates OF
the deeper planting that if the season
had been dry, as often is the case, the
result would be against the shallow
planting.
l al, s.,