Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-17

sufficient quantities TO cause death. we
have known cattle to be poisoned oc-
casionally when fed on cut green sor-
ghum. This rarely happens east of the
Mississippi. where the climate is rather
humid. We would not hesitate to use il
as feed for dairy COWS in this climate.
This opinion is based on experience in
feeding many dairy cows through
long series of years in several states OF
the south which possess what we com
monty regard as humid climates.
FOOD CROPS FOR JULY PLANTING.
F. S. NJ, Savannah. Ga, writes: Could
you suggest to me what food crops l could
sow now In upper Virginia?
/ am somewhat uncertain from your
letter as to just what part of Virginia
your farm is located in. If you mean
by upper Virginia" the northern part
of the state the crops which you could
cultivate might be somewhat different
| from those which could be grown with
success in southwest Virginia. OF
course, the crops which can be grown
| in eastern Virginia are different from
those which can be grown in the west
or table land of the state. Presenting
that your farming lands are somewhat
similar to lands that can be found in
| the Shenandoah valley, l beg to state
i
could only plant what are known as
catch crops with advantage. Buckwheat
and millet would be two of the princi-
pal crops to rely on. The one would
| be valuable for grain and the other for
hay. Both crops should be planted i'm
mediately on we'll prepared land. If
| the soil is thin some acid phosphate
can be used to advantage, say 800
pounds per acre. Put ii in the ground
before the crop is planted
These crops are best drilled in, but
when they come to stand no further
cultivation is required.
| WHEN IS SILAGE FIT TO FEED?
| W. b., Nitnna, Ga, writes: How long
should it re between the cutting OF silage
and the time IL will do to feed to cattle
| and mules?
A silo may be opened almost imme-
| diately after it has been filled, though
of course. it is good policy to allow it
| several weeks in which to settle and
ripen before you commence feeding OPP
erations. When the silo is first filled.
as you probably know. it will sink
down several feet on standing. We
| make it a practice to refill our silos up
| to the top, then wet them thoroughly
and run in some chaffy. or straw ma
| terial to act as a cover or cap for the
| silo This material will mould or decay
| to a depth of four to eight inches.
When we open the silo we remove TINS
top carefully, as 1t is not good food Tor
cattle or any other class of stock. In
this connection, l beg to say that you
will not find silage a satisfactory 1000
| for horses and mules. 1t can only De
fed to work stock in limited amounts
probably not over five pounds day. II
| is too watery a food for this class OF
animals, which have, as you know.
| limited digestive capacity You VIII
find IT a most valuable feed, however,
for all classes of cattle, and, as lndl-
Gated. a small amount may be TED 10
horses and mules for tonic purposes.
| PLANTING FOOD CROPS IN JULY.
| Ell W.. Cusseta, ia, writes; / have
| about fifteen acres Of upland hitherto
| highly fortified and which has made
good crops. Ii was rastured last year
and IL was nv intention TO let II lay out
| This wear bur in order 10 increase my 1000
crops nave 81 out decided to plant same 70
Iron and Brahham peas or Mexican june
| corn Phrase advise me what to plant on
this land to derive the most profit
| If situated as you are I am inclined
| to think | would plant Iron or Brao-
ham peas on the land in question. rms
| will not only provide you an excellent
| food crop. but will enable you to build
up the fertility of your land and put 1t
| in excellent condition to plant to &C.
reals this fall. The legumes will not ex-
| haust the soil as much as the corn
would and i'm my judgment they are
more likely to give a good account or
| themselves than corn planted at this
| season of the year. The legumes VII!
gather some nitrogen out of the air and
| even though the crop is cut for any hay
a ~ n in food the SOll
should be considerably riched in nitrogen
at the end of the season than if you
had devoted the land to corn. OF course,
| IL you prefer you may Craze these peas
down with hogs, or you may turn cat
tie in and let them eat the vines down.
They will thrive wonderful we'll on
them. They should not be turned in On
the vines until the peas cover the
ground. Some farmers in certain parts
of Georgia are using peas for summer
pacture purposes with excellent results
I know of one farmer who fattens sew
eral hundred head of live stock by this
method each summer.
About the only chance of securing
seed at this time, so far as we know,
would be through some local persons
having a reserve supply in stock, Or
through some of the larger seedsmen.
HANDLING AN OLD BERMUDA SOD.
L. W. A., StatesbOro. Ga, writes: l
have about forty acres OF land in Bemuda
that has not been plowed in two three
years have been told that the land
should be broken and bur clover sown with
the Bermuda for winter pasture l would
like your advice along this line pre-
sume | would have to keep the cattle off
while the clover is getting started
Bermuda grass tends to become sod
bound and IT is good practice once in
while to break up the pasture unless
the land is very steep and rolling Turn
ing IL over lightly or cutting il up thor
oughly with disk when there is a good
season in the ground is an advantage.
Cross disking with a large disk some
times is quite satisfactory and more
economical than blowing. 1t would be
good practice. Of course, il you would
break up this land by blowing 1t with
a pillow or disk, and SOW bur clover Just
before you undertake the treatment of
the grass. We would seed in the buTs
and would use rather freely. The soon
er the bur clover is planted the better
your chance of obtaining a good stand
during the fall and winter We do not
think you will have to keep cattle off
of the land this summer, as the bur
clover makes its growth principally dur
ing the fall and winter. If you treat
the sod as indicated and get good rains
thereon il is surprising how quickly