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4 THE SOUTHERN WORLD, .JUNE 1, 1882. your own hypothesis, might be of use to the former, and they might make the Signal Service of some importance to him also, if the latter would extend its helping hand to wards them in furnishing data, such as you speak of. You gave me a hint I never thought of. But you may bet your bottom dollar, that you are right about Gen. Hazen’s reply. Capt. Howgate's criticisms on Ven- nor, just at a time when he was stealing the l>eople’s money, show that the so-called “wepther prophets” <bave no place in the sympathies of the Weather Bureau. It has no use for those who promise more and ac complish, to say the least, as much as itself, in agriculture or for the farmer. But if you meant to make the issue of comparative merit in the pretensions of either, I am ready to meet it by facts. G. It. C. INQUIRY COLUMN. Wheat In Mississippi. Ed. Southern World—Will you or some one, answer the following questions or give tlie information asked for below ? My home is about the center of I’ike county, Mississippi; my farm is situated about one mile west of the Bogue chitto riv er; my land is all up-land, with a red, stiff clay subsoil; my land is a little sandy, rather thin. Now, I want to try a few acres in wheat, and the questions I want answered are: 1st. What time ought wheat to be sown ? 2d. What variety is best adapted to our Southern soil? 3d. How ought the land to be prepared ? •1th. What kind of fertilizer is best? And any other information will be appre ciated. I am delighted with the Southern World and think it the best agricultural journal I ever saw. Bespectfully yours, Holmesville, Miss. H. P. L. Answer. 1. Our correspondent's furm be ing about the thirty-first degree of north latitude, we would say that wheat should be sown in December—certainly not earlier. 2. The experience of Georgia farmers has been favorable to the “Bill Dallas” wheat, a variety which originated in Lincoln county, Georgia, many years ago, but not brought prominently to notice until within the last five years. It is a full, plump-grained, am ber colored wheat, tolerably early, with tall, stiff straw, and is very hardy to resist dis ease, especially rust. Seed may be had in season, of Mark W. Johnson & Co., of At lanta, Ga. 3. The land should be prepared by grow ing a hoed crop, as cotton, during the sum mer. Then plow close and deep, with long scooters; sow wheat and fertilizers and har row all in together 4. Cotton seed at the rate of thirty to fifty bushels, or more, per acre, will generally give as good results as any manure, but we would recommend a compost of acid phos phate of lime, cotton seed and stable ma nure, equal weight of each, and apply four hundred to six hundred pounds of the com post to the acre. A standard or high grade ummoniated dissolved bone gives good re sults on wheat. Finally, we will be permitted to say, that we do not wish to be understood as recom mending the culture of wheat below latitude 33°. There are exceptional localities where it will pay to sow a few acres, but as a gene ral rule, the crop is too uncertain and not of sufficient importance to justify its general culture so far South. The soil described by our correspondent- sandy, underlaid by a stiff clay—is adapted to wheat, provided it is high and dry. Such soils are occasionally found in Southwest Georgia: say in Randolph, Stewart, Thomas and Brooks, where wheat often succeeds reasonably well, and occasionally fine crops are grown. But, on the whole, we think that flour is one of the articles that a cotton far mer can afford to buy, especially if he will produce all his corn, hay, bacon and lard, sirup, butter, milk, etc., at home. There is such a thing as attempting too much in the way of ‘diversifying crops." If a farmer keeps up his stock of mules by home breed ing, produces beef, mutton,bacon, butterand milk, fowls, honey, fruits and garden vege tables and all the food consumed by his farm animals, he has got his hands pretty full and can well afford to buy his flour, sugar and coffee, tobacco and a few other articles of which he need not consume large quanti ties. K. Dissolving Bones. In answer to one of your subscribers, I prepared a large quantity of bones in the following manner: First I made large heaps of the bones, Intermixing with splinters of lightwood to ignite. Let them burn just long enough to crumble. I then took one bucketful of sulphuric acid and three of water in a barrel and put In as many bones as would dissolve, and then spread on alter nate layers of cotton seed. It makes the finest manure I ever used. A. W. L. Monticello, S. C. [The plan given above is open to the ob jection that the ammonia of the bones is entirely lost by burning them. The ammo nia in fresh bones amounts to from 3 to 4 per cent, of their weight. This loss, how. ever, is to some extent compensated by the greater ease with which the acid attacks and dissolves the bone ash, the resulting product containing a greater per centage of soluble phosphoric acid than in the case of coarsely broken raw bone similarly treated. Great caution must be used in handling sulphuric acid, as a drop of it burns the clothing or skin, and would destroy the eye-sight or greatly endanger it.—R.] Watermelons—Topping Cotton. Ed. Southern World—I have two ques tions to ask the many readers of your valu able paper—one about watermelons, the other about cotton: 1. I have heard that a watermelon vine should not be turned to work it. Will some of your experienced watermelon raisers say whether they turn the vines in working them or not? 2. What I wisli to know about cotton is whether it should be topped or not, and at what time 7 Yours truly, J. M. Reply: We invite our readers to com ply with the request of J. M., by giving their experience or the points in question. 1. In our practice we always avoid mov ing the melon vines as faros practicable. If thought necessary to move them it should be done with great care and tenderness and the vines should be replaced after plowing without inverting orbrusingin the slightest degree. A very common practice is to lay all the vines along the row—in order to plow the middles—and leave them thus crowded and matted. This should be avoided. On the whole we think the vines may be moved and replaced without mate rial injury, if very carefully done. We seize the opportunity to drop the caution that tbe melon patch should never be dis turbed in any way while the vines'are wet with the dew or from a recent shower. 2. No rule can be given ns to topping cot ton. Sometimes the operation pays and sometimes it does not. We believe it rurely results in injury however. The best results have usuully been attained when the crop is in full vigor of growth and the plants have attained size sufficient to sustain and mature a maximum crop. This period will usually have been reached about the middle to the last of July. The theory of the op eration of topping is, that the growth of the weed is thereby checked and the energies of the plant are concentrated in the forms and young bolls already set. According to our observation the operation of topping is never beneficial except on comparatively rich soil and where the growth of the plants is correspondingly luxuriant. Let us hear from our readers the protand coin. R. Compost. Dear Sirs : Will you please give us through the columns of your esteemed paper the best formula for a compost heap, and state explicitly its general management. I wish to use cotton seed and lime in its composi tion. Corn, cotton, and vegetables were in jured here by frost on the 16th and 10th inst. Wheat looks very fine and will do to harvest in ten days; oats are growing finely; good stand; red clover and plenty of fruit*, people are working with a vim. John Whitman. New Market, Ala. Reply : In response to the above we give the formula recommended by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and used by hun dreds of farmers in Georgia for several yean past. It is as follows: “Formula for Comporting.—If the stable manure and cotton seed have been preserved under shelter, use the following: FORMULA NO. 1. Stable Manure JIM lb*. Cotton Seed (green) .6901b*. Superphosphate 700 lbs. Making a ton ot...» .2,000 lbs. Directions for ComjMiiting.—Spread under shelter a layer of stable manure four inches thick; on this sprinkle a portion of the phos phate; next spread a layer of cotton seed three inches thick; wet these thoroughly with wa ter, and then apply more of the phosphate; next spread another layer of stable manure throe inches thick, and continue to repeat these layers in the above order, and In pro portion to the quantity of each used to the ton, until the material is consumed. Cover the whole mass with stable manure, or scrap ings from the lot one or two inches thick. Allow the heap to stand in this condition until a thorough fermentation takes place, which will require from three to six weeks' according to circumstances, dependent upon proper degree of moisture, and the strength of the materials used. When the cotton seed are thoroughly killed, with a sharp hoe or mattock, cut down vertically through the layers; pulverize and shovel into a heap, where the fermentation will be renewed, and the compost be still further improved. • Let it lie two weeks after cutting down; it will then bo ready for use. The following plan of mixing gives equally satisfactory results: Mix the cotton seed and the stable manure in proper proportion, moisten them with water, apply the proper proportion of phosphate, and mix thoroughly shoveling into a mass as prepared. There is some advantage in this plan, from the fact that the ingredients are thoroughly commingled during fermentation. For Cotton.—Apply in the opening fur row 200 pounds, and with the planting seed 75 or 100 pounds, making in all 275 or 300 pounds per acre. If it is desired to apply a larger quantity, open furrows the desired distance, ana over them sow, broadcast, 400 pounds per acre; bed the land, and then ap ply 100 pounds per acre with the seed. For' Corn.—Apply in the hill, by the side of the seed, one gill to the hill. An addi tional application around the stalk, before the first plowing, will largely increase the yield of grain. If the compost is to be used on worn, or sandy pine lands, use the following: FORMULA NO. 2. Kninit Prepare as directed for No. 1, the manure and cotton seed with moistening a solution of the kainit instead of water. Muriate of potash is the cheapest form in which potash can be used, but kninit supplies it in a bet ter form and combination for many plants. If lot manure, or that which lias been so exposed as to lose some of its fertilizing properties, is composted, use— FORMULA NO. 3. Kainit Making a tun of .2,001)lbn. The sulphate of ammonia und kninit must be dissolved in warm water, and a propor tionate part of each sprinkled upon the other ingredients as the heap is prepared. Apply as directed under No. 1, to cotton and corn. To wheat or oats, apply 400 or 500 pounds peracre, broadcast, and plow or harrow it in with the grain.” It is perhaps well to remark that it is by no means important that the proportions in tbe several formulae be accurately followed. The cotton seed and stable manure may be varied in quantity, according to circumstan ces, within a wide range, but it is well to conform ns nearly as may be practicable to the proportions given, as the result will give the elements of value in about the proper relative quantities. It is not advisable to use lime in composting cotton seed, stable manure and acid phosphate. It serves no good purpose in such a compost heap and had better be applied separately if the soil requires it. R. The people realize that there is a large and growing immigration to Florida from South ern States. A correspondent writes that there is a steadily increasing influx of new comers from Florida’s nearest neighbor, and the next census will show a considerable number of Kentuckians. Over all the nu merous avenues leading into this State from Alabama and Georgia, over all the many wagon roads, there are constantly arriving vehicles loaded with the effects of their own ers, wending their way to some of the lower counties. From each wagon you will see protruding the heads of a buxom woman aud half-a-dozen tow-headed children, happy and contented pioneers, requiring but few of the luxuries of life, and sturdily benton making new homes and conquering the wilderness. Along the line of the railroad from Mont gomery to Selma, the Advertioer says, crops are reported in a satisfactory condition, de spite the heavy rains and overflows of the spring. The oat crop is very large and in a safe condition. An unusual amount of com has been planted, and if gathered all right will make the farmers independent of West ern com cribs. §ortimHnml §tpurtment Utilising the Fruit Crop. There is a good crop of fruit set this seas on, and the owners of orchards should com mence at once to prepare to utilize it either by selling the fresh fruit or by evui>orntiiig it for market, or avuiling themselves of both. It will be too late to make preparation to market the fresh fruit to the best a'dvuutuge after it ripens. If it is to be shipped to dis tant markets, the boxe s should be in readi ness before the frhit ripens, that it may be picked just at the right stage for shipment and properly assorted and packed for safe •transit. It is now generally conceded by those having experience in shipping peaches that one-third bushel boxes are best. These are made on a large scale in Georgia now, but the boxes should be on hand before the fruit is ripe. Freight can be saved by buying the boxes "Hat,” or not put together. There are thous ands of bushels of seedling peaches in the South, which if properly handled might be shipped profitably. Indeed, there are many seedlings which are equal in size, quality and appearance to the best of budded fruit. The culling and sizing of the fruit is of great importance. If this is not properly done the whole will sell at the price of the smallest. All that can be profitably sold as fresh fruit should be so utilized, and the balance gathered just as they begin to ripen, butbe- fore they are soft, and dried in some one of the numerous FRUIT EVAPORATORS now on the market. These are now con structed so cheaply as to be within the reach of any one who has as many as fifty bushels of fruit available for such purpose. Some of them are so constructed that vegetables of all kinds can be evaporated and pressed fur winter use, when, by first souking to replace the water taken out by the evaporating pro cess, they may be used us fresh vegetables. There is one now on exhibition in the office of tlie Department of Agriculture in which the heat can be so completely con trolled that bread or meat may be baked in itby replacing the wire frames with stove pans. It dries one bushel of green fruit per hour ready for market. There are many Others on the market, most of which give satisfactory results. Every farmer who is the fortunate owner of u good orchurd should own u fruit aud vegetable evapora tor. J. 8. N. The Apple and Its Enemies In the Mouth. The United States Department of Agri culture is doing good work by its investiga tion of the insect enemies to vegetation, but there is yet a wide field of investigation in viting its labors. It hus quite thoroughly studied the habits and rneuns of destroying the cotton caterpillar, and the scule und other insects which injure tlie orange trees Indeed It is ever watchful of the interests of Agriculture and Horticulture. The field however, is too wide to be occupied in a short time. The apple has few serious enemies iu the Northern aud Middle States, but they are both numerous audforiuidable in the South ern States. So formidable indeed, that un less some means of destroying them can be devised, we plant in vain The wooly aphis attacks the trees iu the Middle States and we presume, in the North ern and Western States also, but the winters are so Bevere that it is not so destructive us farther South, where the winters are so mild and short that the insect is able to continue its ravages throughout the year, and conse quently fatally sup the vitality of the trees. This insect attacks both limbs, leuves and roots, but their principal and most destruc tive work is done on the roots, which they suck and destroy their vitulity. Their presence may be detected by tlie white, downy appearance of the insects themselves, which often cover the surface, feeding roots, and by the knotted condition of tlie roots themselves resulting from the work of the insects. No varieties of apple trees Beeiu to be ex empt from the attack of these formidable enemies. They may be seen on the buds of the trees in early Spring and through the Summer in the crevices of the bark and about wounds made with the pruning knife, When mashed, the bodies of the intects which are concealed under tbe white down, present a red appearance. No successful means of destroying these pests on the roots of the trees have yet been discovered, though they are almost as des tructive to apple trees in the Southern