Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-28

|
both in securing stand and in hol2-
ing it. An average application of a
ton of ground limestone to the acre
with the application repeated from
three to five years would seem to be
: the best farm practice that can be
recommended at the present time. II
is true, of course, that heavier ap-
plication than this will be needed on
soil types that are decidedly acid.
On most of the soils of the state
alfalfa will respond to an Application
true on the thinner soils. Acid phos-
plate or Thomas Stag will give the
most immediate results. Thomas
Stag, where it can be had at rea-
sonable cost, is an excellent carrier
Of phosphate for use with alfalfa. If
rock phosphate is used it should be
| applied a year or two in advance of
| the seeding, so that it may become
we'll incorporated with the soil by
| the time the alfalfa is seeded.
| Practically all of the soils in Geor-
| gin will need incubation for alfalfa
! There may be a few fields where
sweet clover or bur clover has been
grown that will not need inocula-
! ton, but these are comparatively
few. incubation can be accomplish
ed either by using the soil from a
successful alfalfa, sweet clover or
bur clover field or by using the
artificial culture.
In using soil, care must be eXer-
cised that no troublesome weeds like
nut grass or wild-onions are taken
into the field with the soil. It will
be best to use 400 to 1000 pounds of
handle this is to drill it through
| the fertilizer side of an ordinary
grain drill. After the soil is Sc
cured. it should not be exposed to
sunlight to any greas extent. If 1T
is broadcasted on the lana, It should
be narrowed in Immediately; TO
bright sunny day and not harrow
| it in will kill most of the bacteria
carried IN the soil and, therefore,
make the incubation of no value. :.
| Artificial culture can be secured
from the bureau Of plant industry
at Washington, D. c., the Georgia
state department Of agriculture at
Atlanta and from seedsmen. After
| the culture has been applied do not
expose the seed to the bright sun
light. Full directions are given with
each package of the commercial cul-
| ture as to how it should be applied
| to the seed.
AS a general proposition, fall seed
| ing will give the best results under
| average conditions in Georgia, al
| though occa sionally good results can
| be had from spring seeding. When
seeded in the fall, the alfalfa should
| be seeded early enough to become
| thoroughly established before cold
weather. The proper moisture con-
| tent for termination very often inter-
| feres with this and it can often be
| corrected by the summer falloW
suggested earlier.
Taking the latitude of Athens as
| the average for the state, the most
| desirable time of seeding as a rule
will fall somewhere between Septem-
Der 15 and October Is. If seeded in
| the spring between March l and 10
that will be an average period for
best results. The advantage that
| fall seeding has over spring seeding
is that alfalfa gets better establish
ed before the crab grass starts and
is therefore much better able to com
pete with it. However, getting 1t es-
tablished before cold weather is an
important factor in fall seeding.
The type of plant and source OF
seed has already been suggested
| 1t cannot be emphasized too strongly
| that this is one of the important fac
| tors in not only securing, but also in
| holding a stand of alfalfa for a con-
siderable period of time. Alfalfa of
| this sort mas maintained a good
stand at the college as long as seven
or eight years as compared with a
good many other strains that have
gone out in a period of two to four
years.
The amount of seed to use per acre
will vary with the condition of the
land and weather conditions. Usual
ly from twenty to thirty pounds OF
seed per acre can be used to adVan-
tage. Experience of the last sew
eral, years shows that not less than
twenty pounds or more than thirty
pecially with an alfalfa or grass
drill, will, in many cases, save as
much as four or five pounds per
acre. Where it is seeded broadcast
the seed should be covered lightly.
On well prepared land a weeder is
| one of the best implements for this
| purpose. Where the weeder is not
available, the spike-tooth harrow can
be used.
The Virtues Of A1sike Glover
G. A, Rossville, Ga, writes:
I will appreciate all the infor-
nation you can give me on alslke
clover.
Alsike clover grows more thickly
and is finer stemued than red clover.
| 1t develops an abundance of leaves
and makes an excellent hay. 1t Will
stand more grazing than red clover.
| It is harder and Is less affected by
extremes of heat, drought and cold
| weather than othsr clovers. 1t is
adapted for cultivation under a wide
variety of soils. 1t succeeds fairly
| well on light upland and loamy lands,
as well as on bottom soils. 1t is
particularly suited for growing on
moist lowlands that are not subject
to prolonged overflow. It does we'll
on soils that are rather inclined to
be acid. 1t makes a thick under
growth which greatly increases the
yield, as well as the feeding value Of
the hay. You should sow about six
| ~ ioh Of
You may plant in the early autumn
or in the spring, say in February or
March. This clover will maintain
itself on the land for several years.
| 1t is the hardest of the cloVers and
does not winter kill readily. 1t is a
very good clover to SOW in mixtures
of grass.
Controlling Fly-Infested Wheat
j. F. S., Commerce, Ga, writes:
Is there anything that can be
done for field of wheat that is
infested with the fly?
Nothing can be done to protect a
wheat field from an attack of the
Hessian fly at this season of the
year. An examination of affected
fields will show many broken down
stalks. If these are cut open the So
called ''f1axseeds" will be found
therein. These represent the pupal
stage of the development Of this pest.
The fly energies from these f1axseeds
either in the stubble or weeds along
| the edges Of the fields. 1t lays from
100 to $50 eggs in the early spring
on young wheat plants. Later mag
COTS hatch from these eggs and work
against the stem beneath the sheath
leaf. The winter is passed in the
pupal stage, called "f1axseed" be-
cause of the resemblance of the in
sect in this stage to the seed of the
fax plant.
In fighting this pest one should
proceed as follows: Plow the stub
BILE as soon as the wheat is cut. Pillow
also into the soil all weeds and trash
growing along the edges of the field.
Deep blowing of the land is desir-
able. Plant smother crops, like cow
peas and millet or other combina-
tons suitable for hay, on the land.