Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-05
type of cultivator that should


| tors. Extra large cultivators can BE-
secured which will work several
rows at time. When one attempts
| to use this type, of machine, it IS
necessary that the field be long SO
as to minimize turning, and it is of
course imperative that the rows be
straight, otherwise the cultivatoT
may tear up and destroy many OF
the plants. One can work two rows
OF corn, cotton, or other field crops
at a time with two-horse, riding
cultivator. Cultivation may be done
| close up to the plant without injury
with one of these implements. We
use some of the cultivators in cues
ton, and we are located in the Pied
mont section where the land is hilly
and rolling and where 1t is neces
! sary to exercise a much greater de-
gree of skill in handling these i'm
plements than would be trIe in your
section. There are many standard
types of two-horse cultivators on the
market, but there is little to choose
between them. Those manufactured
by most national organizations are
dependable and probably as cheap
| as any you can purchase.
How to Begin the Cultivation OF
Asparagus
G. A. g., Oglethorpe, Ca,
writes: I am interested in the
cultivation of asparagus, and
would like for you to give me
information on cultivating and
harvesting the same. I have
small patch second years
growth from seed, and desire to
PIT it IN time for use in the
spring, whether 1 get enough to
ship or not.
Presumably, you have already
transplanted the asparagus plants,
which you have developed from seed.
If not they should be reset imme-
diately in rich. loamy soil, which
has been deeply plowed and heavily
fertiliZed The rows may be made
two feet apart under garden con,li.
tions, and the crowns set two feet
apart in the rows. In the case Of
very light soils. the crowns should
be set at a depth of six to eight
inches. In heavier soils, from four
to five inches. Cover the crowns
lightly at first, and increase the
depth Of earth as the plant grows.
| Cultivation Of course must be suff1
Gent to keep down weeds and con-
serve moisture. When practicable.
mulch of straw may be spread
over the bed with advantage. In
| the fall, when the asparagus tops
are dead, the mulch may be set on
fire and burned up. In some re-
spects, this is a WastefuI practioe
but it destroys insects and checks
the spread of fungus diseases.
AS a rule. asparagus should not
be cut much before the third year,
and then only for short time. Old
heads may be cat for from six to
eight weeks. Where large white
stalks are desired, ridge the rows
and cut well below the surface when
the tips show above the ground.
Green stalks. are of better quality,
though they may not sell so read
lily. One desiring this type of stalk
should not ridge the rows, but keep
them level. A heavy application OF
manure forked into the bed each
spring before growth starts will
prove beneficial. Hardwood ashes
may also be scattered over the bed,
at the rate of several hundred
pounds per acre. When asparagus
is grown under field conditions, an
S-4-4 fertilizer may often be used
with advantage. At least one-half
of the nitrogen should be derived
from cottonseed meal or tankage.
Leading Varieties of Cowpeas and
Soy Beans
e. G. Meeks, Ga, writes:
will appreciate any informa-
, ton you can give me on the
planting and cultivation of cow
peas and soy beans. What varie-
ties would you recommend?
Cnwnnac opd COW baor1 49,. l.o4L
be grown successfully in Georgia
Both crops may be cultivated for
hay or grain. They may be planted
early in the spring, as soon as the
ground has warmed up sufficiently
to insu-e the rapid termination of
the seed. Broadcast seeding may
be practiced. but, as rule, it is
best to plant in drills "a to So inches
apart. Much less seed is required
for this purpose, and the thorough
vigorous and uniform growth
Among the varieties OF cowpeas
best adapted for cultivation in this
state are the Iron, Brabham, the
large black eye, and the Taylor. The
Whlppoorwill is a good variety for
| general cultivation. In other words,
it is a sort of dual-purpose strain
Where the soil is infested with wilt
disease or nematodes, only the Iron
or Brabham varieties should be
planted. Among the leading varie-
ties of soy beans are the Laredo and
the O-too-tan for hay making, the
Mammoth and Southern Prolific for
seed. From this it should not be
concluded that the first two strains
would not make a good crop of
| grain, though we would always give
| preference for this purpose to the
| two last named. Soy beans should
be planted very much like cowpeas.
Both of the crops mentioned are
| ready to cut for hay when the lower
leaves and pods begin to turn vel
| low. Where one desires to harvest
| cowpeas for grain, the pods should
| be hand-piclled and the vines cut
| down with a mower and raked up
| into windrows. The peas NAV then
| be threshed out in an ordinary
| threshng machine from which some
! or the teeth have been removed. 1t
is also necessary to slow down the
cylinder good deal. Soy beans can
| be threshed with less breakage than
cowpeas and in much the same man
ner. They are more difficult to
harvest because of the tendency OF
the pods to open as the crop ap-
proaches maturity. 1t is, there
fore, advisable to cut soy beans be-
| fore they have thoroughly ripened
in the field. The simplest method of
grain binder and handle them in
| procedure is to cut them with a
| shocks. When soy beans are pro-
! duced on a large commercial basis
IN a given community, market
| should be available for them
through the agency of the local oil
mill. We are not producing nearly
| enough grain or hay in Georgia to
meet the requirements of our animal
| industries. So IL seems nrnrn,. 70