Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-09-06
vetch does well with any variety Of
oats or with any small grain.

vetch does well with any variety Of
oats or with any small grain.
The best results are secured by
planting oats and hairy vetch from
September 1 to November. If the
vetch gets well started and is inoc-
ulated there is little danger from hot
or dry weather in the fall, bat it
should have time to become fairly
well rooted before cold weather sets
in. Late fall planted vetch suffers
from dry weather in the spring much
more than the early fall planted and
better rooted vetch. Vetch may be
planted in cotton after any picking.
Twenty to thirty pounds of hairy
vetch seed and from one to two
bushels of oats per acre are usually
sowed. Just simply mix the seed in
the right proportions and seed with
a grain drill.
Inoculating for Vetch
On land that has never grown
vetch, the best results are obtained
by incubation. Soil from spots where
narrow-leaved vetch has grown will
i~noculate for all kinds of. vetch.
Soil for incubation can be used to
a depth of six or eight inches. 1t
should be protected from the sunligH+
as much as possible while it is being
transferred from one field to anoth-
er, and should be worked in with a
harrow or drag, as soon as applied.
AS the direct rays of the sun kill the
bacteria, better results are usually
obtained if the transfer is made on
cloudy day, early in the morning or
late in the evening. Soil containing
a good supply of organic matter is
best, as it nearly always contains the
most bacteria. No soil should be used
unless the growth of vetch or it has
been luxuriant. Two hundred pounds
of the proper kind of soil may be e.
nough for one acre, although the
chances of success are better with
larger quantities. If the soil is con
venient, a ton per acre should be
used.
Vetch does not grow very much
during the winter and for that rea-
son does not afford much pasture
in the Upper South, but it comes
with a rush in the early spring. Hor-
ses, cattle, sheep, hogs, and other
livestock are fond of it and do we'll
on it. While it is primarily a hay and
soil improving crop, it is valuable
for pasture early in the spring.
The vetch and oats ripen about
the same time and should be cut for
hay when both r in the heavy
dough stage. Of course the oats and
hay may be allowed to ripen and be
cut for feed or threshed for seed.
The ordinary grain thresher removes
the vetch as we'll as the oats from
the straw. The oat and vetch straw
when threshed makes a very valuable
]hay.
When the vetch is allowed to ripen
we'll, you are able to save a mixture
Of oat and vetch seed to sell and at
the same time enough will be shat
tered to get a good owe crop for
the coming winter. If enough of the
oats do not shatter to reseed the
land, the land may be seeded to oat
seed alone in the fall and the oat
and vetch seed will come up togeth-
er.
For improving soil and for graz
ing, vetch does not need oats to sup
port it. When planted for hay, hairy
vetch needs a grain crop to hold it
off the ground, as it then makes a
much better yield, and is much more
easily handled.
Vetch will grow on almost any
kind of soil. 1t grows successfully on
sand, loan, clay, black land or even
pine clay.-Progressive Farmer.
Twelve Health Rules.
The country is supposed to have