Southern Planter a MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO
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Established 1840. THE Seventieth Year Southern Planter A MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO Practical and Progressive Agriculture, Horticulture, Trucking, Live Stock and the Fireside. OFFICE: 28 NORTH NINTH STREET, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA. THE SOUTHERN PLANTER PUBLISHING COMPANY. Proprietors. J. F. JACKSON, Editor. Vol. 70. JULY, 1909. No.7. CONTENTS. FARM MANAGEMENT: THE POULTRY YARD: Editorial—Work for the Montti 665 Poultry Notes 684 Alfalfa in the Valley of Virginia 667 Incubator Experience 685 Effect of Fertilizer on Poor Land 668 Incubator vs. Hens 685 A Successful (New York) Tobacco Farmer 668 THE HORSE: Plowing 669 Notes 686 Harvesting Cowpea Hay 669 The Suffolk Punch in Virginia 687 Notes and Comments on May Planter 670 Cost of a Horse 687 TRUCKING, GARDEN AND ORCHARD: The Stock Company Stallion 683 Experience withr S. C. White Leghorns 689 Editorial—Work for the Month 671 The Turkey Buzzard 689 The Shenandoah Valley Fruit Growers' Fine Rhubarb 689 Association 672 Peaches, Cherries and Plums Rotting on the MISCELLANEOUS: Trees 673 The Commissoner of Agriculture 690 Peach Borers 673 Virginia State Farmers' Institute 69u Blight on Irish Potatoes 673 The Election of Commissioner of Agri- culture for Virginia 691 LIVE STOCK AND DAIRY: Corn Shows 691 Cooper's Jersey Sale 674 Editorial—The Nomination of the Commis- Sheep As a Side Issue on Southern Farms 674 sioner of Agriculture for Virginia 692 The Acca Farm Dairy 675 The Election of the Commissioner of Agri- Some Benefits Which Flow from Dairy culture 694 Husbandry 676 The Corn Prizes : 695 Bovine Tuberculosis 678 The Tax Question.. 696 The Dual-Purpose Cow 679 The Collie Dog 697 Tobacco for Sheep 680 The Turkey Buzzard 697 Opportunities for Dairying in Virginia 680 The Commissioner of Agriculture and Party Summering Hogs and Pigs 681 Politics 698 Bacon and Lard Hogs 682 Farm Renting in Virginia 698 Breeds of Hogs as Meat Producers 682 The Corn Prizes 698 The Milk Escutcheon 682 The Farmville Creamery 698 Plows and Plowing 683 Enquirers' Column (Detailed Index, p. 744) . 728 The Virginia State Horticultural Society 683 Advertisements 699 SUBSCRIPTION, 50c. PER YEAR, IN ADVANCE This is the Safe National Bank that Made Banking by Mail 50 POPULAR HOUSANDS of Farmers, Merchants, Lumber Dealers, Teachers, Profes- sional Men,fand, inffact, peopleSin all lines do all their banking with this bank, and do it solely^through the mails. 1[A good, safe, prompt, interest=paying bank is just as necessary to the up°to=date farmer, as is the latest machinery, able stock and productive soil.g IfThis con- servatively managed bank, with its enormous resources, safeguards beyond peradventure of loss the profits of your labors. The Planters National Bank haslthe largest Surplus and Profits of any Bank South of Washington I^ThisI makes] it plain that it gives you greater protection for your money than any similar institution in the South. 1 No matter where you live==No matter whether you want to bank $1.00 or $1000-=this is the bank for you. lln the Savings Department your money brings 3 percent, compound interest. IF The mails make it as easy for youjto bank with us as if you lived within a block of the building. IfStop a minute to [write for our booklet "How to Bank by Mail." Sent to you free. Planters National Bank 12th and Main Sts., RICHMOND, VA. Capital, $300,000 Surplus, & Profits $1,175,000 f The Southern Planter. DEVOTED TO PRACTICAL AND PROQRESSIVE AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, TRUCKING, LIVE STOCK AND THE FIRESIDE. Atrlcultnre Is the nnrsint: mother of the Arts.—XENOPHON. Tllla^ and pastura^ are the two breasts of the State.—SULLY. 70th Year. RICHMOND, VA., JULY, 1909. No. 7. Farm Management. WORK FOR THE MONTH. planted to near maturity and it will be the part of good When writing the article on work for the month for the husbandry for farmers so to manage the cultivation of June issue on the 20th of May we congratulated our read their crops as to conserve this and to proceed at once to ers that the much needed rain had at last commenced to plant such other crops as will yet enable them to make the fall and we hoped for a few days continuance so as to give year an average one in productiveness. the crops just planted a nice start and put unplanted land into good working condition again. Instead of this we have The reports as to the condition of the winter wheat crop had to this writing a month during which we have had are not encouraging. In Kansas, which grows nearly one- more or less rain every day in this middle section of the fourth of the winter wheat of the country the yield is like- State and both in the eastern and western sections abnor- ly to be greatly reduced from the effects of drouth and in mal rains more or less continuous during the whole month. some of the other Western States damage has been done Whilst these rains have not been so heavy in this State by too much rain. We see no reason to alter the estimate as to cause floods in the rivers except to a limited extent we placed on this crop last month in that it will not ex- in small sections yet they have been sufficiently heavy to ceed 400,000,000 bushels and may be even less than that by make the rivers run brimful and have so soaked the land 10,000,000 bushels. The spring wheat crop planted is about as to cause serious injury to many crops and much hind- six per cent, larger than that harvested last year and rance to work in the land. Corn has been badly cut off by though it has been got in a little late is now making good the worms and much replanting has had to be done. In growth. We estimate the yield of this crop if conditions the Tidewater section of this State the damage done to are normal to harvest at about 260,000,000 bushels. The the early Irish potato crop has been very serious, much of whole wheat crop will thus be about 660,000,000 bushels it having rotted in the land. It is estimated that this will as against 660,000,000 bushels a year ago. This crop in entail a loss of $250,000 to the truck farmers of that sec- the face of greatly depleted stocks both here and abroad tion on this one crop alone, and the sweet potato crop is and with no indications of increased yields in European also badly injured. During the last two or three days pre- wheat growing countries would seem to make any serious vious to this writing (21st June) the weather has been fall in the price from the present high level very unlikely. finer and it is. to be hoped that this will continue as both It is certain that to feed our own population and for seed wheat and winter oats are needing cutting badly and suf- for the next crop we shall practically need all the wheat fering injury. Much hay has been so badly injured by the we are going to harvest this year and European nations rain as to be worth little more than for bedding and that v.'hich will need much wheat will have to be supplied from still to be cut is much reduced in value from lodging and elsewhere. Whatever we export we shall have to supply rotting. This latter loss may, however, yet largely be made from the small reserve now in stock which is less by 12,- good by abundant second crops which are growing fast 000,000 bushels than it was a year ago. wherever the first crop has been removed from the land. This is not a very cheering outlook for the year. However, The oat crop of the country is sown on about 32,400,- it may be hoped we have seen the worst of thisweather and 000 acres, which is the greatest area ever sown in that crop that we may have opportunity given to endeavor to make in this country. The condition is 83.7 as against 92.9 last good the losses already sustained. Usually a long wet year at the same time and a ten years' average of 83.4. time like we have had is followed by a dry spell and thus the seasonal rainfall is balanced up. We are hopeful this The indications so far as at present known point to an will be the case this year. We have sufficient moisture increase in the area planted and to be planted in corn. in the land if it is conserved to carry most crops already I The South has the largest crop ever planted. As we indi- 666 THE SOUTHERN PLANTER [July, cated in our last issue corn is taking the place of cotton materially reduced and the condition of the land be rapidly in many sections, the cotton crop being less by improved. What all Southern land most needs is humua 1,600,000 acres than last year. It is said that Louisiana in the soil and if these crops are used for no other pur- will have over 60,000,000 bushels of corn this year or double pose than this they will amply repay the cost of seed what it grew last year and will be able to supply its own and labor. needs and have a surplus to export. We are glad to re- cord this fact and to know that other Southern States Sorghum, sorghum and cowpeas and millet should ba have also increased their crops.