The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-22
Conservation often Needed

 doxical mixture of notions and in- clinations that often reach to su- perlative degree of absurdities. The average farmer is hopelessly conser- vative in his many attributes; witness him doing a thing in an archaic man ner, simply because his ancestors fol- lowed the same practice. Yet he often will throw off his conservatism and go to the extremes of experiment tation. This could be no better Illus trnted than his frequent decision to risk hts all in some crop, though the use of some highly advertised va riety of. say, corn or cotton, that he has no other knowledge of save that contained in the lurid advertisement.
 The sad thing about the matter is that such an experiment often leaves him sadder, although maybe wiser, and causes him to crawl back into his armour of conservatism. from which 1t Is hard to extract him. Conserya- tism is wise attribute. but often Is the greatest enemy to progress. Farm CTS and gardeners in general ought to experiment with all new varieties, but they should always play safe by con fining their major plantings to those varieties of established merit. There are always plenty of dependable va- rieties to select from.
 Growing Tomatoes From Seed
 It is curious fact that very many people believe that to grow tomatoes 1t is necessary to buy plants to set out. They seem to loose sight of the fact that the plants they buy must come from the seed. Another popu- lar belief is that the tomato to sue ceed needs to be transplanted. The main object served by the tomato plant is earliness, that Is, you can produce tomatoes quicker through the purchase of plants. There is belief also that transplanted tomatoes pro- duce better than those that grow un- interrupted. directly from seed. These are all questions that give much ground for difference of opinion. The writer would suggest that you try this plan for a late or main crop: Make well prepared and fertile hills about four and one-half to five feet apart, work into each hill thoroughly mixed into the soil half tablespoonful dry bordeaux mixture and a tea
  hills level with surrounding ground and plant about dozen seed to the hill. Let all plants remain in hill un- til about six inches tall, then pull out all of them except one, the most vigorous looking. Cultivate well but make no effort to stake, prune or prevent the runners from taking root where they touch tho ground. Try this once, but don't let it be your entire source for late tomatoes.
 The Compost Heap
 Most everybody associates a com post heap with an evil smelling dump, not very desirable around the human habitation. Yet 1t is possible to make at home, and without ex- pense, more or less valuable plant food that often goes to waste. If home owners or any family would have a suitakle place to throw refuse vegetables. weeds, grasses and other waste material the product of such accumulation in a season would af- ford the most valuable fertilizer that could be had. Such location ought to be protected from excessive rains, and at times when there might arise objectionable odors, some such disin- fectant as lime could be used. If weeds and objectionable grasses that should be gotten rid of were con served for fertilizer, the gain would almost equal the expense in keepinng under control.
 We should get into our heads that all matter possesses the plant food clements so badly needed by all plant life, and to conserve them in simply like putting money in a savings bank, We in America have much to learn about conservation. Just because na- ture has been so bounteous to us is no reason why we should be so waste ful. Farm economy. most impor- tant science. does not occupy the planters mind as it should.
 Questions and Answers
 Q.-There is a little hot pepper that the pods grow upward. What is this sort? Miss c.
 A-The Celestial and Coral Gem Bouquet are both small, hot sorts bearing their fruit upright, and both very good.
 Q.-What varieties of lettuce should you plant now to stand the hot sum? Mrs. E.
 A.-The crumpled and curlyleayed sorts are much more resistant to heat than the smooth-leaved or butter head arieties.
 Q.-I want to plant few hills of the biggest gourd I can get. What | =