The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1919-03-29

was OllC VI lIC ever Known III In1S
part of the country. By Fall of last year.
l had nine colonies of bees, with $50 pounds
of honey. From five hives, I sold about
sos worth. The past winter has been mild
and my bees are doing nicely, and I trust
| may have a good honey season
FARM NOTES
By w. E. Watkins
Lake County Agricultural Adviser
The following information is given in
answer to the many inquiries which have
lately come to the office of the Farm Ad-
wiser.
ORDER OF GRAIN SEEDING
The question has been frequently asked
regarding which crop should be planted
first in Lake County and the amount of
seed to be used per acre. Our best farmers
recommend seeding wheat as early as posi-
BILE and following with barley and oats in
order. The usual practice is to use from
~ to 2 bu. of seed wheat per acre, from
~ to 2 bu. of barley and from to 3 bu.
of oats.
SMUT TREATMENT
In 1913 the percent of smut on some of
the Lake County crops was as high as 1920.
In few cases the wheat was sold for
chicken feed, because the crop was so badly
infested with smut. In 1913 the national
loss due to smut was estimated at over
Z5,OOO,OOO Blu. of wheat, 100000 bu of
oats and 100000 bu. of barley. Practic-
ally all smut can be controlled at total
expense of 2 or Sc per acre There are
several methods of treatment If you are
not familiar with Them ask your neighbor,
or this office for information.
CLOVER AND ALFALFA
Some farmers this year are hesitating to
seed any of their farms to grass because of
the high market price for seed Clover and
alfalfa seed are but little higher in proper
ton to the market values of other farm
crops and commodities. We should not
break up a crop rotation plan because of
the high price of grass seed. A mixture of
red clover, alSike and timothy is preferable
on some of Our soil types, while the seeding
cost is also cheaper. Use alsike on heavy,
poorly drain land, and alfalfa and clover
on the more fertile soils where drainage is
good and the soil is sweet
FERTILIZERS
1t will doubtless be an advantage to use
a small quantity of bone meal or acid phos-
phate on any of the spring crops. Turning
under clover crop for green manure or
using barnyard manure induces a rank
growth of farm crops and at the same time
delays maturity Bone meal or acid phos-
plate will help to stiffen the straw of our
small grain and prevent lodging and induce
maturity from a week to 10 days earlier
than where such phosphorus fertilizers are
not used. Apply bone meal at the rate of Us
to 200 pounds per acre.
ORCHARD SPRAYING
There is considerable scale on the fruit
trees of Lake County. This insect can be
controlled by the use of commercial lime
sulphur at the rate of | gallon to gallons
of water The trees should be sprayed
while they are dormant or before the bios
som buds turn pink Bordeaux and lime sui
phur control only plant diseases. Arsenate of
lead prevents the wormy apple, plum or
pear. Tobacco sprays will control all plant
lice. 1t is a waste of time to apply any
spray until you know what insect or disease
you want to control and when is the best
time to do the work. Lye and other rene
dies occasionally mentioned are all right
for the control of dirt but are absolutely
of no value in controlling garden or orch
ard pests.
SEED Corn
There were thousands of bushels of seed
corn saved on Lake County farms last fall
and winter. This corn has been taken care
of in a variety of ways Some farmers
will be fooled if they depend upon some of
this seed for the 1919 crop. Every farmer
should test his corn and play safe. Hun
dreds of ears have been tested by the Farm
Bureau during the past two or three weeks.
Forty-eight samples of seed collected in
the field, properly dried and cared for du-
ring the winter gave an average ger1nina-
ton of 879o and varied in test from y to
1000.
Eight samples of early selected seed, hung
outside the barn or windmill, etc, to dry
out, average $50 and varied from 10 to
7495.
Fifteen samples of corn taken from the
crib averaged 3296 and varied from to
66%.