Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-30

H. o. w, Millen, Ca, writes:
Why is it that oats will not make
good on land that has been ivlng
! out and has grown up in seeks?
We think it is not difficult to
understand why oats may not make
good on land which has lain out fo.'
several years. Soils under these con
ditions sometimes improve in ply
/ steal texture and in available plant
food. At other times, they deter
iOrate in both respects. A good deal
depends upon the character Of the
| growth on the soil and the mGnuer
in which it is handled. Moreover,
/ lands which have lain GU. for sew
eral years often break up sloddy
! They also often contain a lot of voge-
/ table matter in the surface s0iI. This
! tends to make the top area of the
/ land loose and porus. Hence, these
soils do not hold water wsu, espe-
! cially during a Gry@ spell, which is
liable to occur during the fall or
4 spring. In a soil of this type, the
/ roots of the oat crop can not estab-
| lish themselves firmly, and they may
not reach the depth which is GesIr-
/ able. Oats along with other cereals,
as you doubtless know, require
/ rather firm seed bed. Ian dof the
character described should therefore
be broken as early in the season as
possible. Thirty or better sixty days
/ before planting is to be undertaken
would be considered good practice.
The land should be broken to a good
| depth. Turn under the trash as
completely as possible. A disk har-
row and tractor will be found val
liable for this purpose particularly
v here the work is undertaken on
relatively large scale.
/ When the land is broken and the
| trash well buried, roll it Immediately
! A heavy iron or steel rolIer should
! lie used for this purpose. More than
one rolling may be necessary to Sc
Gu e the firmness of the soil and sur
| face area which is desirable. Then
! harrow the soil so as 10 p1ovide a
| dust mulch. Sometimes disking it
| may be preferable procedure. This
! should enable you to break down the
material buried in the so.A rather
'&pldly, secure sufficient cohesion IF
| the soil particles to hold water sat
! istactorily and provide the roots Of
Size oats with d relatively firm area
IL which to develop.
Sowing Vetch On Sod Land
j. II. H., Irwinton, Ga, writes:
I am interested in pasturage,
and have rs acres of two to
three old pasture sodded with
| lespedeza and carpet grass.
want to know what to put out
for winter grazing crop Some
say hairy Vetch and some say
bur clover. Is it necessary to
inoculate the seed?
| should by all means urge YOU to
make liberal use of hairy vetch for
winter grazing, hay, and for soil inn
! provement. This will give you i'm
mediate results. l should also ad-
wise you to use some crimson clover.
On thin land that we are ATTEMPT
ing to build up, we make it a rule
to seed a bushel of rye, u to -
pounds of hairy vetch, and s to 10
pounds of crimson clover per acre.
Where the crop is intended for hay.
we make a mixture as follows:
Oats, L bushel.
" heat, u bushel.
Hairy vetch, 10 pounds.
Crimson clover, 10 pounds.
In either case, it is necessary to
inoculate the vetch and crimson
clover, if the land has not grown
THESE crops previously The inocu
Iatlng material can be secured from
the state department Of agriculture
state capitol, Atlanta, Ga, at a very
reasonable price.
l should also advise you to use HIM.
clover Tin your permanent ma st,,rn
particularly on heavy, CLAW land
practical Handling of the Kudzu
Plant
b. w. M. GAINESVILLE. Ga
writes: [ am interested in Elldzu
as nay plant, as we'll as for
forage and pasture [ have felt
mat one could afford to put out
large acreage with the idea of
harvesting and baling the hav.
inquire that the hay is worth
%-o TO $50 ton and that we can
count on two to three tons per
acre. DO YOU think this would
DE a profitable undertaking; that
49, 70 produce this hay for mar.
ket? MA
We have seeded kudzu here on
tne cole9e farm on several occa-
slohS. 1t has not done as well as
we mad anticipated. 1t is true va
used II on rather thin, CALLED spots.
put 1t was advised that this was
me situation in which it would do
Wen. Naturally, we were DESTROYS
oI afFestlng the erosion, which was
sung on. L can not say that we
1 nave mad great success with it.
= mere are locations, however, where
- mas zone very well, and it has
some enthusiastic admirers who
nave made large claims for, If W.
eau not dispute their claims fo,,
minute ana can only say that our
W. experience does not justify us
49, 11utiSlhg our farmers to set it out
Win the expectation of securing as
quick returns or as large Yields as
we thought practicable at first
our observations lead rs 70 tbi,l,
Ihat no practical way of handlino
huaZu as hay crop has heen
worked out as yet. 1t is also cIear
tn@I unless one obtains a verv thicll
SIaia' the stems will be coarse ana
tne resulting hay of poor quality
GettlnS a good stand as already
Poniled out, is rather EXPENSIVE and
difficult '0''0'N Z anu
incubation seems to be desira hlo
once TINS crop is established. II is
IdtHeF persistent grower: hut II
C"u De easily destroyed early in Tho
SpIIh%: We are inclined TO tbinI,
t tilal t9ls accounts for the destruc.
ION OF some areas planted in orr
Se@le' Yields of from two to four
II per acre have been recorded
We nave thought it best to confinn
our etfoFt and attention here at The
ToHeSe TO the cultivation of alfalfa
w nave been very successful with
lniS plant. 1t ha made us laroa
NIeIas OF hay of very superior uuaI.
ny. The gross return per acre for
some years in succession has been
as much as $l00, We believe il
would pay You TO investigate the
2iiaIa proposition, for we are in.
chned to think this crop would do