Evening star., 1916-09-24

son clover as early pasture and for
green manure Is increasing in all parts
OF the country where clovers may be
grown. The grazing season may be
heightened and the feeding sea son
shortened anywhere from a month to
| six weeks by use of this legume; while
grazed over areas with the remaining
clover plowed under will yield vastly
better crops than can be grown on soil
not SO treated. Crimson clover may
be used either on the farm or in the
Kitchen garden. with beneficial results
in either case. II sowed early enough
in the fall to give the plants good
start before cold weather crimson
clover will not be cut down by frost or
freezing While the top leaves will
wither. those underneath will remain
green and succulent through the win
ter. Poultry, of all kinds like the
crimson clover and small patch of it
where the fowls can have access to it
during the winter goes a long way to-
ward keeping hens in healthy laying
condition. as the fowls soon learn to
get under the withered tops and hnd
the Juicy green growth beneath. Po-
tatoes planted on land where crimson
double the crop that can be obtainedd
through the use of fertilizers alone,
while corn also. responds generously
when planted on a clover-manured soil.
clover in this section. though no time
should be lost. Make the seedbed fine
and mellow to the depth Of six or eight
inches Buy recieaned crimson clover
seed from reliable dealer. Sow broad
cast or with drill; in small patches
cover the seed by raking it in. Another
OF the uses of crimson clover Is as
weed killer. A heavy stand of the
weeds. as they are choked out and
killed by the luxuriant growth of the
clover. 1t will grow in almost all parts
of the section surrounding the District
~ ~ III
ment or inoculation of the soil, as the
soils hereabouts usually produce good
crops OF clovers and legumes.
Farmers and gardeners will do we'll
to cut and destroy any ragweed that
may be found around the place. This
pest, said to be one of the most potent
sources of hay fever. is not indigenous
to the country east of the Allegheny
mountains. but has been carried here
from the middle west. 1t Is sometimes
called wormwood ragweed for the rea-@
son that Its scientific name is ambrosia
artemisifolia, and wormwood is an arr
temisia. Ragweed in pastures Is often
eaten by cows when it imparts its dis
agfeeably rank. bitter taste to the milk.
It is propagated annually from seeds
and does not come up from old roots;
therefore the best way to get rid of 1T
ijis to cut and destroy. the plants before
they ripen seed.
Farmers generally report. more tent
caterpillars.. this fall than for many
years past. The pests in their webs
may be seen on hundreds OF trees in
and about the District, and these COL
onies. If not destroyed, promise plenty
Of trouble next summer. The tent cater
pillar usually weaves its home in fruit
trees, though it will harbor in shade
trees Of several kinds.
In the woods and along fences, wher-
ever wild cherry trees are found, there
the tent caterpiliars are also seen. and
from the wild cherry trees they spread
, to cultivated cherries and other fruit
and shade trees. The best way to ex-
terminate them is to attack the webs
!, early in the morning before the cater
pillars have gone out foraging. Use a
torch of some kind. and be sure that
every worm is scorched. A handy torch
is made by wrapping a piece of old
muslin around the end of stick long
enough to reach the webs. Soak the
rags In Kerosene, touch lighted
match to them. and the torch is fam
ing. ready for use.
Experiments with asparagus at sew
eral state and government stations
show that 1t Is not profitable to use
an excessive amount Of bone meal on
the beds. either at the time of making
! Experiments at the Pennsylvania sta
tion show that 1t Is better to reduce the
bone meal to half the quantity usually
directed to be used when planting the
roots, and to use similarly reduced
quantities In the annual fertilization of
the beds. ~