404 Blkkau oi Fakmers' Institutes. 



buying the chemicals, taking them home and mixing them myself. 

 I have several tons of South-Carolina rock at home, bought at .*!11 

 per ton, and it is worth more now. But first save all the barn 

 manure before buying phosphates; then, if you require more fer- 

 tility, buy the chemicals, first ascertaining what elements your 

 soils need to grow certain croi)fi. As to draining, I will s;iy 

 that there are but few- farms that do not have wet places that yield 

 nothing. If those places can be tile-drained, they may be made 

 the most productive places on the farm, at least for some crops. 



In answering the latter part of the question, I will say that I 

 am not in favor of drawing a crop off the farm if I can feed it to 

 farm animals. We aim to feed all we grow, unless, at times, we 

 can sell a crop and buy another equally good for feeding at a less 

 price. 



Do you advocate fall plowing? 



Mr. Smith. — At the station but little or no fall plowing is done. 

 Conditions will rule, or should. Where land can be plowed early 

 in the spring, I would not fall plow. At the station farm, crimson 

 clover and the vetches are used as a cover crop on most of the 

 cultivated ground. 



Shall we apply lime or wood ashes to sour soils? 



Mr. Converse. — I don't think it would make much difference. 

 Would use the ashes if I could get them. If not. I would apply 

 the lime at the rate of 30 bushels (slacked) per acre. 



What causes dry, gravelly or sandy soils to become sour? 



Mr. Converse. — I have heard chemists say that the cause is from 

 removing the humus, so that the plant food in the soil is not made 

 available, and that the decomposing plant food becomes acid. 



Does the presence of sorrel in our soils indicate acid? 



Mr. Converse. — Not necessarily. Sorrel grows on all soils. Its 

 presence is due, as a rule, to the absence of other plants, and to 

 sterility of the soil. When a soil is well fertilized, cultivated and 

 seeded, sorrel will not crowd out the crop. 



