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Modern Farm Methods
As Applied in the South.
Notes of Interest to Planter,
Kruit Grower and Stockman
What is the Coupon?
The cowpea, which is known botan
fcally as Vlgna Sinensis, belongs to
the Leguminosae family, and is there
fore closely akin to the clovers,
vetches, beans, peas, etc. Its com
mon name is a misnomer, due to local
usage, for it is rather a bean than a
pea. Its chief value centres in the
possession of the peculiar traits char
acteristic of the leguminosae family,
one of these being the ability to gath
er atmospheric nitrogen and store it
in the leaves and grain. It accom
plishes this through little nodules
growing on the roots and in which
certain forms of bacteria live, which
have the power of assimilating atmos
pheric nitrogen. Observe that in
some sections and on certain fields
the cowpea does not seem to thrive
well. If some of the nlants are pulled
up and the roots examined, a very
few small nodules will be observed,
and sometimes they are entirely ab
sent. In a field of vigorous growing
peas the nodules will be found to be
numerous and large, showing the im
pair,ant function they perform in the
economy of the plant. On land where
the cowpea does not do well when
first sown, there are none of the bac
teria which enable it to assimilate the
needed atmospheric nitrogen, and so
the growth is dwarfed. The difficulty
may be overcome by coating the land
well with farmyard manure, by the
direct application of nitrogen, or by
inoculating tbo soil by drawing sev
eral loads of earth from a field on
which cow cas have been successfully
grown and scattering over the sur
face, thus supplying the soil with the
needed bacteria. This is an impor
tant matter, for some persons have
experienced a good deal of trouble
when they first attempted the culti
vation of the pea and have never un
derstood the reason w r hy.
The foregoing explains the farm
er's interest in the cowpea, as it is,
first, a cheap mpdium of supplying ni
trogen to the soil through a green
crop plowed under, and second, it fur
nishes a hay particularly rich in pro
tein to balance up the abundant
roughness produced on the average
farm. These are important matters,
for applications of nitrogen, especially
when associated with vegetable mat
ter, are a marked benefit to nearly all
soils. The farmer can rarely afford
to make vhe heavy application of ni
trogen because of the cheapness of
his products and the high price of the
fertilizer, which now sells for fifteen
cents a pound. But he can afford to
utilize the cowpea for that purpose
because he gets atmospheric nitrogen
for nothing through a wise provision
of nature.
' In feeding any class of live stock
the problem is to secure a balanced
ration, that is, one in which the car
bohydrates which produce fat, and
the protein—which produces flesh or
muscle, etc., will be in the right pro
portion to give the largest growth or
gain at the least outlay of animal en
ergy and at a minimum cost of food.
The rough forage crops, which are
rich in carbohydrates or fat formers,
are the easiest and cheapest to grow,
while the protein producing crops
have hitherto been the most difficult
and expensive to produce. The more
general cultivation of the cowpea will
make it possible for the average
farmer to have a large supply of hay
r jis rich, pound for pound, in feeding
ndtrients as alfalfa, and almost as
valuable as wheat bran. Investiga
tions have now shown that the hay
Til ay be substituted successfully for a
portion of the grain in a ration adapt
ed for feeding either beef or dairy
cattle, and so it is no wonder that the
farmer's! interests should centre in the
production and utilization
"of this wonderful plant.
Planting ami Cultivating Coupons.
The cowpea is sown either broad
cast or in drills. When intended for
hay making it is best to seed in drills
twenty-four inches apart, using one
of the bush varieties, as they do not
tangle so badly as the trailing or run
ning varieties. When planted in
drills they are easier to cultivate and
can be cut to better advantage with
the mower. Planting in drills also
saves considerable seed, which, owing
to the cost, is a matter of great im
portance. In a dry season or on
ground where weeds are particularl>
bad, the drilled peas can be cultivated
to advantage and will often make a
very good crop, while broadcasted
peas do practically nothing. When
peas are drilled from one-half to one
and a half bushels will be needed, de
pending on the use to be made of the
crop. Where seed is desired, use the
larger amount, as it makes the plants
bushy and they bear a larger number
of pods. Where the peas are broad
casted from one and a half to two and
a half bushels of seed should be used.
Cowpeas may he seeded with a one
horse grain drill or with a two-horse
corn planter, or better still, with an
ordinary grain drill. Where a nine
tube drill is used with eight-inch
spaces between the hoes six of them
should be stopped up temporarily,
which will seed the peas in rows
twenty-four inches apart. They
should be covered two or three inches
deep, depending on the amount of
moisture in the soil. When the peas
are planted in drills they should be
run over once or twice with the weed
er as soon as they come up to destroy
incipient weed growth, to break the
top crust and preserve a dust blanket
to retain moisture. When they get a
little older, either a one or two horse
cultivator may be used to run through
them once or twice to have moisture
and destroy weeds. As soon as they
begin to run they will cover the
ground and shade It and need no fur
ther attention. The advantages of
having the peas in drills are so nu
merous that broadcasting is gradually
being abandoned for the more mod
ern and superior method of cultiva
tion.—A. M. Soule.
White Clover in the Lawns. .
A. J. C., Knoxville, Tenn., writes:
How can I get rid of white clover
mixed with grass in a lawn?
About the only way to get rid of
white clover mixed with blue grass
would be to dig it out by hand. Many
people sow a small amount of white
clover with the blue grass because it
makes the lawn attractive, particu
larly if it is kept closely clipped. Un
der these conditions the clover blos
soms are produced on very short
stems, and they give an attractive ap
pearance and variety to the lawn that
is *very pleasing to the eye. White
clover seems to be indigenous to prac
tically ail parts of the United States,
and though it may not be sown in the
lawn it will develop in some seasons
when rainfall is plentiful. It is thus
a difficult matter to eradicate white
clover, hut in my observation and ex
perience it has seldom if ever been an
objectionable feature in a lawn, as it
is not a particularly vigorous growing
plant, and rarely develops sufficiently
to crowd out a well established blue
grass sod.—Professor A. M. Soule.
racking of Apples in Tloxcs.
One great advantage of packing
apples in boxes is that close distinc
tion in size and color are easily made.
The number of apples in a box can be
siiiys
•‘Offset” Pack —3 y 2 Tiers Four
Layers—B4 Apples.
determined almost instantly by the
buyer, practiced packers claim
to distinguish size by different styles
of pack. Familiarity with half a
dozen styles \will enables grower to
pack successfully all the common
, arieties. With the straight pack, as
The ~Diagonal” or Pack*. —-S%
Tiers —Four Layers—BS Apples.
illustrated, a box may contain 96,
112, 128 or 144 apples, depending
upon their size and shape. In the
offset pack the three apples do not
quite fill the width of the box. The
uext row is placed s© as to leave the
space on the opposite side. A form of
diagonal pack is shown, which is
The “Straight” Pack—Four Tiers—
-96 in Box.
somewhat more economical of space.
In all cases the object is to get an
even placing of the fruit with the
same size throughout.
Nitrogen is Waiting.
Over every acre you own there are
thousands of pounds of pure nitrogen
1 waiting for you to take it and make a
profit on the taking,—W. F. Massey.
Your Cotton Crop Can Be Increased
It costs no more to cultivate an acre that produces
two bales of cotton than an acre which produces only
one-quarter of a bale. Why not see what £ou can do
with
Virginia-Carolina
Fertilizers
Other men have been able to double and more than double
their yield per acre with a liberal application of Virginia-Carolina
Fertilizers.
Messrs. Lucas & Jackson of Kelsey County, Tenn., used Vir
ginia-Carolina Fertilizer on about 55 acres planted with cotton, and
say: “We have the finest crop of cotton we ever saw, and all the
people around here think the same. We actually counted 447 bolls
on one stalk. Another stalk had by actual count 409 bolls, forms,
sjuares and blossoms. On about 8 acres we expect to make about
2 bales to the acre, and an estimate of adjoining farms not so fer
tilized and under other cultural methods, will yield only 1 bale to
five acres.”
An interesting picture of the cotton plants referred to will be
found in the new 1909 Virginia-Carolina Farmers’ Year Book, copy
of which may be had from your fertilizer dealer, or will be sent
free, if you write our nearest sales office.
Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co.
Sales Offices
Richmond, Va.
Norfolk, Va.
Columbia, S. C.
Atlanta, Ga.
Savannah, Ga.
Memphis, Tenn.
How Germany Builds a
Navy
Ey Sidney Graves Koon, M. M. E
HILE preparations for the United States navy have been
more or less buffeted about in committee and on the floors
of the Senate and House of Representatives, we have had
Win recent years a very conspicuous example of the benefi
cial results accruing from a continuous and regular naval
ship-building policy, such as that at present under way in
the German empire. Beginning with 1898, the Germans
have been acting on a definite program worked out for sev
eral years in advance. It has been known far ahead of the
time of beginning construction just how many vessels of the various classes
were to be laid down each year, although later acts have much increased the
numbers and sizes. The act of 1898 contemplated the acquisition of a navy
including twenty battleships, eight coast defenders, twelve large and twenty
nine small cruisers, besides six destroyers to be laid down annually. This to
tal included a number of ships already in existence, and work was prosecuted
on the others at the rate of two or three large ships each year. In 1900 a
supplementary act increased the battleships to thirty-eight, the large cruisers
to fourteen, and the small cruisers to thirty-eight. In 190 G the lage cruisers
were increased to twenty, and the destroyers to be laid down each year were
raised from six to twelve. In 1907 the active life of all vessels was declared
decreased to twenty years, after which new construction would fill the place
of each vessel so retired, without such construction being included in the
regular list for additions to the navy.—Leslie’s Weekly.
Halls of Congress.
Senator Tillman insinuated that
some Federal Judges were on the
payrolls of corporations.
The House Naval Committee was
defeated in its efforts to replace ma
rines on board warships.
The urgent deficiency bill was
passed and the postal savings bank
bill was considered in the Senate.
The President appointed a national
council of arts, consisting of eminent
architects, painters and sculptors,
under whose direction national
works will be planned and erected in
the future.
vs *
Feminine Notes.
The Moody Bible Institute, Chi
cago, plans to erect a building en
tirely for women students.
Girls attending the Lakeview high
school in Chicago receive lessons in
the art of jumping from a moving car.
Mrs. Eleanor Relyea, a clerk in the
signal office of the War Department,
will be the next social secretary ot
the Waite House.
Mrs. Philip Snowden, wife of the
British mem mr of Parliament, has
made a reputation for eloquence in
the inieresv, ot the suffrage propa
ganda.
Sales Offices
Durham, N. C.
Charleston, S. C.
Baltimore, Md.
Columbus, Ga.
Montgomery, Ala.
Shreveport, La.
R. 0. JACKSON,
Attorney-at-Law,
McDonough, ga.
Office over Star Store.
E. M. SHITH, ,
Attorney at Law,
Me DOXOUGH, Ga.
Office over Star Store, south Bide equare.
All work carefully and promptly attended
to. pSf“ Am premared to negotiate loan*
•a real estate. Terms easy.
mb PORATABLC AND STATIONARY
ENGINES
and boilers
tew. Lath and Bhin*le Mill*. Injeotor*.
Pempa and Fitting*, Wood Saws, Split ter*,
■halt*, KuUejr*. Belting, Gasoline Engine*.
mOBJTOCK LOMBARD,
Ewifiji Hwhlai and M* Works and Supply Stan,
AU4UBTA, OA.
Kennedy’s
Laxative
Cough Syrup
Relieves Colds by working them out
of the system through a copious and
healthy action of the bowels.
Relieves coughs by cleansing the
mucous membranes of the threat, chest
and bronchial tubes.
“As pleasant to the taste
as Maple Sugar”
Children Like It*
For BACKACHE-WEAK KIDNEYS Try
DeWiit's Kidney and Bladder Pills-Sure and Safa
Sl®#!
bsQ 0 til fa
MiaßaaßaciaaaaaßaaHaciiaaiaaaßraEarjaaxia
cxrsas
Coughs,Colds,
CROUP,
WhoopingCoiigh
This remedy can always be depended upon and
is pleasant to take. It contains r.o opium or
other harmful drug and may be given as confi
dently to a baby as to an adult
Price 25 cents, large size 50 cents.
The hero who “choked with emo
tion’’ naturally got a strangle grip
on the heroine.
