THE RURAb NEW-YORKER 
917' 
Soil Fertility Problems 
Green Manures for Truck Crops. 
I have a field of oats that I want to 
turn under. At what stage should it be 
done? The oats are in full head now, and 
are a very rank growth. I would like to 
sow the patch in cow peas as soon as the 
oat crop is turned under. I also want to 
lime the ground. When should it be 
done, before the cow peas are sown or 
after the peas are turned under this Fall? 
I wish to use this piece of ground for a 
truck patch, and want to turn under two 
crops this season. How much lime should 
I sow? w. p. M. 
Corydon, Ind. 
From our own experience we should 
plow those oats under at once, as they 
are now about at their best for green 
manuring. Plow them under and pack 
down the soil with a heavy drag or roller. 
Then fine the top of the soil thoroughly 
and sow the cow peas either in drills or 
broadcast, as you prefer. Let these cow 
peas grow until the Fall, probably about 
the middle of September, then plow this 
crop under and use at least one ton per 
acre of air-slaked lime, thoroughly worked 
into the soil after plowing. We should 
prefer to use the lime after the cow peas 
are plowed under, rather than after plow¬ 
ing the oats. The cow pea does not re¬ 
spond to lime as some other crops. In 
fact it is one of the crops recommended by 
some authorities for use on an acid soil. 
In our own case after plowing under the 
cow peas in September we should sow rye 
to cover the ground during the Fall, and 
provide a green crop for plowing under in 
Spring Some truck growers do not like 
to use a cover crop for direct Spring 
plowing, but they usually let it stand too 
long. The rye would save a considerable 
loss of nitrates during the Fall, and if 
plowed under early will not interfere with 
the truck crops. 
Alfalfa as an Orchard Crop. 
A circular from the Arizona Experi¬ 
ment Station discusses Alfalfa as a cover 
crop for an orchard. Out in that coun¬ 
try irrigation is necessary in order to 
grow fruit properly. The soil is usually 
light and open, and greatly in need of 
organic matter. Alfalfa grows well when 
properly irrigated. Experiments were 
made to see if this crop would not be a 
satisfactory one for growing in the or¬ 
chards. It seems to be settled that out 
in that country at least Alfalfa is not a 
crop for an orchard. It may answer on 
strong land when the trees come into 
bearing, but for the younger orchards >t 
is not satisfactory, since it draws too 
heavily upon the soil, both in water and 
in plant food. The question was worked 
out quite thoroughly and there seems to 
be very little question about this matter. 
Winter vetch, Canada peas, and Sweet 
clover seem to be very much better as 
orchard crops out in that country than 
Alfalfa could ever be. At this end of 
the country we have seen a number of 
cases where Alfalfa was tried in an ap¬ 
ple orchard. There have been failures 
and moderate successes. The failures 
were generally found on light soil, rather 
shallow and with the water level rather 
low. On these soils the Alfalfa seemed to 
rob the young trees of moisture and the 
trees were certainly not strong and 
thrifty. On heavier soil, especially 
strong limestone, after the apple trees 
have begun to bear the Alfalfa is much 
more of a success. We have seen sev¬ 
eral orchards where the first large crop 
of Alfalfa was cut and taken out as 
hay, while the succeeding crops were 
left on the land after being cut. This 
served both as a mulch and fertilizer 
for the orchard, and on strong good land 
after the trees started bearing this ar¬ 
rangement worked well. It is generally 
a mistake, however, to attempt to grow 
Alfalfa in a young orchard befoi’e the 
tree has grown large enough to bear at 
least a fair crop. 
Clover and Timothy After Hay. 
I have oats planted on two fields that 
I would like to put in clover and Tim¬ 
othy this Summer. Will clover and Tim¬ 
othy get the right kind of start before 
‘ u ‘d make a good crop of hay in 
l.nO, if I planted after I cut my oats? 
Montmorency Co., Pa. s. 
We would not advise you to sow clover 
and Timothy in the Summer. The natural 
time for seeding Timothy is in the early 
Fall. While Fall-seeded clover will make 
a fair start, we would prefer to use it in 
Spring. You cannot hope to get a full 
crop of grass the first year after seeding, 
no matter how carefully you put it in. 
The first crop next year will be fine, 
thick and short. It makes a fine quality 
of hay, but will not give its best yield 
until the next season. If you want to 
follow the plan you suggest, cut the oats 
at the usual time, then plow the stub¬ 
ble and harrow it frequently through 
July and August. If possible, give it at 
least 10 thorough workings with the har¬ 
row before September. Tear the ground 
up until it is as fine as an ash heap, or 
as close to that as you can get with a 
reasonable amount of labor. Broadcast 
one ton of lime to the acre and thorough¬ 
ly work it in, and then sow your grass 
seed in the early part of September, :f 
possible just before a gentle rain. Use 
at least 400 pounds of fertilizer per acre 
unless the oat stubble is particularly 
rich soil, or has received a good coat of 
stable manure. Personally we would not 
put the clover with the Timothy in Sep¬ 
tember but would seed on top of the 
ground in early April, but do not in any 
event expect a heavy yield of Timothy 
next year from any seeding you make 
this Fall. 
Beginning on Time. 
Often the difference between success 
and failure in growing a crop of corn 
depends on promptness in all the opera¬ 
tions concerned. This year in Central 
Ohio, with the weather favorable, we 
began the cultivation almost as soon as 
the planting was completed, harrowing 
well before the corn was through the 
ground, leaving the soil fine and mellow 
and free from weeds. A week after the 
corn was up the weeder was used on this 
mellow soil with good effect. Had the 
ground become hard the harrow would 
have been used. The weather contin¬ 
uing favorable two workings were given 
with the two-horse cultivator in quick 
succession, before the corn was six inches 
high, leaving it in fine condition and free 
from weeds. Now it is raining nearly 
every day, with hot weather, the corn 
is growing rapidly, and if such weather 
were to continue and all further culti¬ 
vation be impossible a fair crop of corn 
would result, while if favorable condi¬ 
tions should return and the proper cul¬ 
tivation be given a large crop is assured. 
On the other hand, in many fields very 
little if any cultivation was given before 
the rain began, the owner hoping to 
make up by frequent cultivation later on 
for some early neglect. This can in part 
be done if conditions remain favorable, 
but the rainy weather came on, and 
weeds and corn are growing together 
rapidly, and the soil unfit for working. 
The opportunity for a full crop under 
the most favorable conditions has passed 
by, while if weather continues bad, al¬ 
most certain failure follows. We can¬ 
not afford to delay, hoping that a favor¬ 
able season later on will enable us to 
make up for lost time. Almost anyone 
can grow an average crop of corn under 
favorable conditions. Only an expert 
corn grower can succeed in a very un¬ 
favorable season. In growing corn, as 
in some other things in this world, eter¬ 
nal vigilance is the price of success. 
Ohio. IIORATIO MARKLEY. 
Killing Weeds and Asparagus Beetle. 
After asparagus season is over and 
weeds start to grow would it be practical 
and economical to destroy the weeds with 
iron sulphate? Would it injure or affect 
the asparagus plant in any way? Also 
what spray, when used, will help con¬ 
trol the asparagus beetle? R. B. h. 
Massachusetts. 
I have had no experience with iron 
sulphate on asparagus, as a weed killer, 
and cannot advise as to the effect it will 
have on the asparagus, but it would 
seem that an application of this chemical 
heavy enough to kill weeds, would have a 
bad, if not a fatal, effect upon the aspara¬ 
gus. I would much prefer the use of 
common salt, applied at the rate of about 
l 1 /* tons to the acre. It will kill out all 
weeds, if properly spread, and if far 
enough inland to be outside the range of 
salt air, will be more or less benefit to 
the growing plants. It is commonly be¬ 
lieved that salt should be applied in the 
early Spring only, but I have used it 
in very heavy applications at all stages 
of growth of the plants without the least 
injury to them. 
For the common asparagus beetle, 
spray with arsenate of lead. This is 
much better than Paris green, as it ad¬ 
heres to the plants, and if two or three 
thorough sprayings are given during the 
growing season, and again after the 
plants have reached full growth, there 
will be but little damage done by the bee¬ 
tles. A flock of chickens or a few guinea 
fowls turned into the asparagus patch is 
the most effective means of holding the 
beetles in check, besides being the least 
expensive. Guinea fowls are very fond 
of the larvae of the beetle, and a dozen 
or two of them will keep a five or 10- 
acre field almost entirely free from these 
insects. They do not scratch as do chi'”: 
ens and are therefore preferred over the 
chickens on this account also. r. 
Shape of Compost Heap. 
In making a compost heap should it be 
finished off so it will hold water, or shed 
it, that is rounded off on top? Compost 
is made of half fresh horse manure and 
half soil. I inquired of several garden¬ 
ers, but they do not agree. Some say 
make it to hold water or it will be use¬ 
less, others say the opposite. j. a. m. 
Yonkers, N. Y. 
In general we prefer a hollow top for 
the compost heap. This will hold water 
and if the heap has been well made and 
stamped down hard this water will slowly 
work through and keep the heap moist. 
In a very rainy season, or when the heap 
is too open and loose, this water might 
leach through the heap and do more harm 
than good. In nine cases out of 10, if 
the heap is stamped firmly when made 
the top is better left hollow. 
Crimson Clover on Martha’s Vineyard. 
Our island of Martha’s Vineyard is an 
excellent place to grow Crimson clover. 
I have grown it in several different places 
in orchard work. Mr. Webb has grown 
it. Mr. Fischer has grown it. So have 
many others. For quite a number of years 
I have preached the Crimson clover gos¬ 
pel on the island. It grows readily and 
it is worth while. It is sown generally 
at the last cultivation of corn. If there 
is moisture enough to germinate seed, it 
will generally make a growth of two or 
three inches, depending on rainfall. The 
comparatively mild Winter keeps it in 
excellent shape for an early start in the 
Spring. The growth can be allowed to 
go on until in blossom, or if the ground 
is absolutely needed, plowed under earl¬ 
ier. I have planted buckwheat in Au¬ 
gust with a very stout growth at the end 
of September. This being in an orchard, 
it could not be plowed under. The frost 
did not come until middle of October. 
The buckwheat left an excellent mulch of 
vegetable matter, to be worked under in 
the Spring. l. ii. b. 
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x * r . * > 
OTASH 
for WHEAT 
Many farmers are anxiously inquiring whether 
they can secure any Potash in their wheat fer¬ 
tilizer this Fall. From the best information 
obtainable, it appears that while Potash exports 
from Germany were entirely stopped last Janu¬ 
ary, there is still some Potash in the country 
that will be used in the wheat fertilizers. The 
amount is very much less than usual. Plence 
those who wish to secure fertilizers containing 
it, must be alert and place their orders early. 
T hose manufacturers who have it in stock will 
doubtless make it go as far as possible and the 
percentage in wheat fertilizers must be lower 
than in former years. The price per unit will 
doubtless be higher, but not so high as to make 
it unprofitable, especially where clover or hay 
is to follow the wheat. 
Inability to secure the usual wheat fertilizers 
containing from 2 to 6 per cent of Potash 
should not lead farmers to decide not to use 
any fertilizer. 
The reduction in the sales of cotton fer¬ 
tilizer has left more Potash available for wheat fertilizer 
than we could have hoped for a few months ago and 
minor sources of supply have been fully utilized. 
There is no substitute for Potash. 
It is very scarce just now, but 
POTASH PAYS. 
GERMAN KALI WORKS, Inc., New York 
Chicago ^ San Francisco Atlanta 
Savannah New Orleans 
