Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1954-07-29
Der ticket committee.
PASTURE FOR BIRDS

PASTURE FOk BIRDS
Poultrymen who don't have ;
good pasture for their birds arr
overlooking one of the best ant
cheapest sources of nutrients
says University of Maryland poul
tryman Wade H. Rice.
Rice points out that if poultry
can't Craze and get the kind Of
nutrients provided in a pasture
then the poultryman must buy
the nutrients in a feed bag.
Zone acre of ladino clover pas
ture can provide feed equal tC
one ton of mash per year OF
about 500 worth of feed" he ad
vises. "And a saving of money
is not the only advantage of pas
ture-you simply can't buy a sub
stitute for lush, green grass
The poultry specialist points
out that it is a little late in the
season to do anything about pro
viding pasture for this years
crop of birds. He says now is the
time to do something about next
year.
Decide where you want your
poultry pasture for next year, and
give that land blowing or disk
ing in late July or early August.
An additional disking or two will
kill weeds that come up follow
ing rains, then the ground will
be in good shape for seeding.
August Is to September IS is the
best time to seed ladino in Mary.
land"
These recommendations are
given for assuring a good pas
ture: % Have soil tested for
lime and fertilizer requirements
90 Get certified ladino clover
seed. (3) The pasture will yield
more and give birds more variety
if other grasses are sown with
the ladino. A good mixture is l
to 2 pounds ladino clover, 2 to
3 pounds alsike clover, Z to 9
pounds Southern smooth bronze
grass. For turkeys, substitute
orchard grass for bronze grass.
Rice suggests that poultrymen
ask their county agents for Uni
versity of Maryland Extension
bulletin No. 95, Good Poultry
Pastures for Maryland" for furth-
er information on poultry pas
lures.
MILDEW CONTROLS
DoWny mildew has caused
spotting, following and browning
of cucumber leaves in Maryland
since the first of July.
There is no way to cure badly
infected cucumbers, but it is not
too late to make control meas
ureS pay off. DR.. L. o. Weaver,
University of Maryland Extension
plant pathologist, says that spray
ing or busting may be helpful if
cucumbers are not so badly in
fected that they still retain their
green color.
He adds that mildew is spread
ing from cucumberS to canta-
loupe, and may spread to water
melon, squash and other cucur-
bits, Downy mildew can be pre-
vented on all of these crops if
the proper fungicide is applied be-
fore symptoms of the disease APP.
pear.
Mildew appears first as yellow
spots on the leaves. When the
spots become numerous the whole
leaf turns yellow and dies. When
weather conditions are warm and
humid, the vines may be killed
within a few days. The field APP.
pears as if hit by a severe
drought or frost. During damp
weather the fungus that causes
the disease may be seen as a
purplish moldy growth on the
under side of the leaves. The
fungus produces countless num-
bers of spores which are easily
spread by air currents.
Recommended fungicides are
Zineb (Dithan or Parzate), Ziram
(Zerlate) or fixed copper fungi
cides. Bordeaux mixture is not
recommended for cucurbitS be-
cause it is likely to injure the
plants.
Applications should be made
once a week if weather is wet or
if there are heavy dews. If wealth.
err is hot and dry, sprays may be
spaced 10 days apart.
Macrosporium leaf spot is an.
other common cucurbit disease.
1t is controlled by the same
sprays and dusts that control
downy mildew.
Detailed information on the
control of cucurbit diseases is