Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-17
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
BY DR. ANDREW M. SOULE

settled. Cantaloupes and watermel.
ons can be seeded relatively early.
All Of these truck crops respond
well to liberal fertilization. 1t is
first desirable to make the land rich
with vegetable matter. Yard ma.
nure may be used for this purpose,
or green leguminous crops turned
under. Compost heaps may be made
and the land enriched by several
tons of well rotted leaf mold or other
material to the surface Of the
ground. Work this material well
into the soil, and then use a fertil-
izer containing per cent nitrogen
to 10 per cent phosphoric acid, and
to 5 per cent potash. Apply this
at minimum rate of 500 pounds
per acre for the crops mentioned.
One thousand pounds is often used
by truckers to advantage.
Plant the crops as early as prac-
ticable, keep thoroughly clean, and
cultivate frequently. A part Of the
fertilizer may be used as side appli-
cations. Our practice is to put a
relatively small amount under the
drill row at the time Of planting.
4 If you expect to grow these crops
on any considera' ,e basis we think
the wise plan now would be to con-
suit with consumers in various
towns and cities located in Georgia
and throughout the south and also
some of the distributors in the larg-
err cities Of the north. If you can
guarantee the delivery Of the crops
mentioned in a considerable quantity
and of a standard grade and charac-
ter you should find a satisfactory
and remunerative market therefor.
Handling Hairy Vetch for Seed
r. L. H.. Senoia. Ca, writes:
Please give me the best method
Of planting, growing and har-
fvesting winter vetch for seed.
Does the vetch have to have
something to climb on? How
would it do to plant between
rows Of old cotton stalks? Is
there a machine for gathering
the seed?
We have grown the hairy vetch
alone and in combination with va
rious other crops. It does very well
by itself, making a yield Of fair
hay. A better volume Of hay, how
ever, is obtained when 1t is combined
with oats, rye or even wheat. When
cultivated for seed we would grow
it by itself We would plant the
seed in drills about 16 inches apart,
covering to a depth Of say 2.5 or
inches.
When the vetch is reasonably ma
ture we would cut, rake up in the
wind rows, cure out in the field and
then take to the barn as quickly as
possible. 1t may be failed out or
cleaned with any type Of threshlng
machine which is available. In or
der to prevent the seed from being
cracked the speed of the cylinder
should be reduced and sometimes the
front conclaves taken out. The SEED
can be cleaned with an ordinary fan
ming machine and made ready for
market. We have obtained any
where from 6 bushels per acre and
upward to rs high as Is or ~ BUSH
els. We do not believe you can an
ticipate large yields from the vetch
on Georgia soils. In our experience
it has not been necessary to 1nocu
late vetch.
You can plant vetch with any OF
the cereals, as already 1ndlcated
We would not consider it good prac'
tice to plant between OLD cotton
rows where the stalks are lett IN
the field These would shatter ana
break down along in the carry
spring, and in addition to tnat 1t
would result in the vetch hay being
wandered unpalatable and largely I'M
saIable after the grain has been re-
old cotton STALKS
ought to be plowed under just as
soon as the last boil is out. The
deaner Won cover them into the SOIL
the better. In this way thousands
Of weevils which would otherwise es-
came injury may be destroyed.
Picking Cotton by Machinery
T. D. P, Atlanta. Ca. writes:
Is the mechanical cotton picker
nractical machine? l own LOU
acres of good cotton land. but
being a northern farmer know
very little about growing cotton.
last wear [ lost considerable be-
cause of my inability to get my
cotton picked before series OF
heavy rains. If there is ma
chine that will do the work sat
isfactorily, I feel it would be
worth while to plant cotton
again next year.
There seem to be some mechanical
cotton pickers on the market WHICH
will gather the staple. I do not
know just how economical or satls-
factory they will do this work. now
ever, as I have not seen all the types
in practical operation. Some that
have seen work did not pick all or
the cotton, but knocked a part OF 1t
on the ground, thereby causing con-
siderable waste and loss. On the
other hand, such machines as l
have seen in operation up to the
present time gathered not only the
cotton but bits of dead leaves ana
stalks and other trash with the lint.
This became intermiXed and embed
ded with the lint and rendered bale
of cotton ginned out of a crop gath
cred in this fashion of a very I'M
satisfactory character to the SPIN
ner.
NV information is that several
types of the cotton picking machines
now. on the market work on the sue
ton plan. This being true, hardly
see how they can be made to oper-
ate successfully and at the same
time avoid the gathering up of
certain amount of trash along with
the cotton.
Varieties of Apples Suited to
North Georgia
H. J. K, Rome, Ca. writes:
What kinds of apples can best he
grown in this section for the
market? What kind Of soil is
most suitable. and how should
the land lay? How MANY trees
should be planted ner acre?
Aroop1 tha varieties Of annlaS hest