North Carolina Newspapers

THURSDAY, MAY 22, 1333 Tiic rnANKLiN press. f::an ;: LIN. M. c. r,r,r, i i v r: 1 UATE8 GARDEN nAM5 SIF7R INJURY FROM BEETLES Nil I f 0 uUil L1AY VASH SOIL Direction Of Crop Rows Must Depend On Slope Of Land TERRACES HOLD SOIL Trees And Vines Of Hillside Orchards Should Be On Terraces (By Elmo G. Harris) part' XIII The washing away of the soil from our hill lands is probably the great est loss that has been suffered in the United States since America was dis covered. Of the losses by war, fire, flood, diseases, insects none would reach the stupendous figure that would give an adequate measaure of the damace done bv Joss of soil. The figure in the aggregate would be be yond comprehension. If known, it might appeal to government authori ties and put them to action; but we are to study the problem as it is af fecting the individual and his heirs. The following indictment will not ap ply to thd farmers who. are fully awake on this subject and are acting accordingly. The subject has been preached time out of mind and some communities are awake and have been for years with very visible bene fit, but others are still asleep. The observer who fully compre hends this problem in all its bearings is astonished at the blind ignorance, thf stupid indifference, the criminal negligence of some farmers in regard to conservation of their soil. How much longer will farmers run their corn rows parallel to the longest side, of the field without regard to the slope? How much Jonger can the land) owner see, without compre hending 'the disaster, that with each heavy rain, the soil between the rows has been carried away down to the plow plane ? Why does he not realize that it means the reduction of his production to one-half, or one fourth of what he would get if. the soil were retained, or realizing that, why does he not "get busy" and find out how to stop it or what best to do? What is the use of applying methods of soil fertilization, if it is to be washed away with every suc ceeding crop? Losing a Farm From the author's study window there is visible a rectangular twenty acre tract that has an irregular drop of 60 to 80 feet between ends. Year after year he has seen the field brok am nwt i1nif nsl Iti nrf ft nrA nrit limit til dliU ' LMalllVVl 111 W4 11 CLiAlft ivuvuv i one year but is losing his farm. He is imposing poverty upon himself and his decehdents. It is a crime. Here is a call for missionary work. Let us here insert the often reiterated analogy that the soil is the farmer's working capital, or his manufacturing plant, to lose which is to ruin his busness. Reduce the capital and the interest is reduced in proportion. De stroy the factory and the output ceas es. : ' ( If a soil cannot be held when cul tivated in hoed crop, then it should not be so cultivated at all but left to pasture on woodland. Better have woodland than a naked clay bank. Don't "kill the goose for the golden egg." ' . ' The problem of soil washing ap- nAarc in pvprv Atcrrte nf . infpnCitir r - w ... - j o J from the steep hill with sandv loam soil that cannot be held (if cultivated), to the flat -where the problem is to get . the water to move at all. It is also affected by the intensity and time of rainfall. Now if we realize the importance of this problem we are prepared for the cnlntinti nrnirh ie msv in PvprvtVi!nr except in pursuading the farmer. . To Prevent Land Washing On very moderate slopes, say up to slant five feet in a hundred, and where the soil is of a kind that does not wash easily, it will suffice to run the rows nearly on a level but preferably with a slight descent to ward some stream or gulley in which it is intended to let the surplus water pass off. A drop of between one-half and one foot in a hundred will be sufficient. . Now this is easily said and easily done but many farmers will not do it Some will guess at a level, but not even an experiencedengineer can do that satisfactorily. This . thing . is worth doing right and it is entirely worth the cost to have the county surveyor or some civil engineer go exception the furrows run up and , n " , can soak jn. inere is no down the hill parallel to the long side,. d.oubt at th the .J0, runmn with the result that in parts of the i d?wn. the steep, a sudden downpour field there is a 'wash between the ran J? X rows that goes. to the pWplane or , !eav,nS the soil still thirsty Hence deeper. Probably an average of ' 18 ou ducted inches of soil has gone from the field, j abo.ve e th.e du.ble beneflt .of Now the surface shows chieflv rocks I ?avin? ;he ?011. and ttinS more mois and clay. That farmer has about as, ture int0 the ground, much intelligence as a setting hen. Terracing He is not only losing his- labor for I On land having a slope exceeding tMn, - ' JlcmceltiddickBoys f H COPYRIOHTID " r -- . , JflkaB1 LI. -L-ir, J-- JL1L " w" 1 "-'nffiX Sreflari tw'1 kWLr"-1 ' '.USUr .j CHOOSING A VOCATION Don't be anxious if your boy or girl doesn't discover early what vocation- or career he would prefer. It is a pity if a young person decides this matter so early that he begins specialization before he has a well rounded education. In. such a case, he begins to develop a one-track mind and narrows himself. A vyoung person is too immature to know definitely just what his tastes and abilities' are going to be. He is also too unacquainted with the world to know what it has to offer in the line of means of livelihood. If he chooses his life work too young, he is likely to make a wrong choice and be unhappy all his days. It is often too late to change when he is mar ried and has a family and then dis covers his mistake. He may choose a line of work at which he will not succeed, but he might have done ex cellently at some other line of work. It is really a blessing if a young person "shops around" a bit, trying several things at which he is adept, before he decides on the one he will pursue for life. Fate will often take a hand and guide him a way he never over the fields and set lines of stakes on the slope wanted. The farmer can then put some permanent marks on these lines and it is done for all time. A surveyor with a level set up in an open field can set stakes as fast as three men can measure distance' and drive the stakes. ;,It may be difficult for one who has been farming in a flat country to get away from the habit of running rows straight, but the sooner he does so the better.1 Once a furrow is brok en a team will follow , a curve as well as it would a straight line., Furthermore"rflie farmer must not hes itate to let some rows pinch out in mid-field in order to keep' others right. Of course this is a little in convenient but it must be endured. For the purpose we are working for, the crop rows should be ridged. Flat cultivation would practically i counteract our efforts. The ridges will form a series of small leval dams, each holding the water falling be tween rows or gently conducting it along the row at such a rate that no wash will occur. Were the danger of washing not present, this scheme would be justi- fyable to hold the water on the land M , i 4 , . about five feet ni one hundred, and where roinfall is excessive or the soil easily washed, an additional safe guard is given by throwing up ter races at intervals of fifty to one hun dred feet. These terraces can usual ly be made sufficiently high and strong with a good turn flow. They must be located with a level. They should lie so as to have a descent, or drop, or grade, of about a half foot in one hundred. For. this purpose , a farmer's "A" level or a carpenter's level on a 16 foot straight edge may be used, though tedious. , An engineer with an engineer's level can set them out very rapidly. It is the usual practice to let the grass grow on the crest of the ter race to toughen it and hold it in Case water should eyfr start . over. 1 These terraces are simply an ad ditional security against water ac cumulating and rushing down the face of the hill. The rows should be run parallel to the lower terrace. The terraces will not usually be paralleel and , there will result some short rows next to the upper terrace. This in convenience must be endured. The cultivation should be in ridges, tho this is, not as necessary, Usually it will be necessary to so slope the terraces that the water will run toward the main water channels instead of away from them, tho this is a matter for the owner to decide. If the wash can be conducted onto a permanent meadow or piece of wood land, what soil passes off will be caught, there and so not be entirely lost. . One of the absurdities of the straight , row cultivation is found in hill orchards when the trees are set out checker board like without regard to the slope of the' land. Every row of trees in a hillside orchard and every row of vines should be on a terrace. L dreamed of. Many of our most suc cessful men and women never had the remotest idea in youth that they would enter the fields in which they became eminent. - BED SPRINGS A good set of bed springs is ' the foundation of a night's rest; and no body can be fit for labor the next day if he has spent a "night devoid of ease." Sagging springs and a lumpy mattress, or a bed which smells bad will rob the sensitive soul of sleep. A bed saturated with the odor of cigarette smoke, such as is found in some .hotels, is very disturbing. It is a dangerous prac tice, too, to smoke in bed. and one which would alarm the hotel inmates, if they knew about it. ' The "box ' spring" is the mSst ex pensive and considered the best. Tt consists of a spiral frame to which spiral springs are attached. This is covered with a pad of hair and the whole enclosed in ticking, which is more or less dust-proof. Next"Mo this, in quality and cost, is the wire spring. It may be poor or of good quality. In the best, spir al springs are attached to the frame at the head and foot, of the bed by spiral springs of steel wire, which prevent sagging; The cheap bed spring is poor econ omy, as it soon sags. When cleaning the spring, if you find them rusty, wipe them with a cloth which is slightly oiled. Too much oil will stain the mattress. . A string dish cloth is a convenient utensil with which to dust springs. Teach young children and older children not to bounce up and down on the springs, nor tcr plop, down full weight when they "jump into bed." EVERGREENS Small spiders and bugs are likely to infest evergreens and. do them much damage while they are young. To prevent this, sprinkle them with sulphur powder. Put this dry into a baking powder -can, in- the top of which you havq made nail holes. A few pebbles in the ran will keep the sulphur from packing. Shake the sulphur over the evergreens, but be sure to hold fhe top of the can or it may come off and spill it all. Sprinkling evergreens with a strong spray of water will help keep off the bugs. Evergreens should never be watered when the sun is shining on them. They need water in the win ter as well as in the summer, for they grow all year. THINK BACK The new trailing garments make us take a backward look at the variety of vestments of yesteryear. Do you remember the wide, rustling skirts of taffeta, the lace mits, the coyly car ried parasols, the heavy beaded or brocajded frock, the gold lace, the tight girdle, the enormous bustle, the wide sleeves, the, large hat heavy with plumes, and the stiffly starched shirt waist of the "good old days?" THE STOPPED DRAIN It is easier to keep the $ink drain clear if you know what causes it to 1 ?.. Unlimited amount to lend on real estate Residences, Apartment Houses, Office Buildings Raleigh Banking & Trust Co. RALEIGH, N. C. be clogged. The usual cause is the accumulation of grease which hard ens in the drain and fills the pipe. The best way to remove this is to pour very hot soap suds down it. Aj pail of wash water from your boiler on wash day will kc"ep the drain clear. Another way. is to drop a lump of baking soda into the drain once a week, and pour boiling water over it. or dissolve sal soda in boil ing water and pour it down the drain. NEW FIGURE AND VIGOR Cutting down on starches, sugar and fats, drinking twice as much water, eating all the Vegetables and fruits you want, plus a brisk fifteen-minute walk daily' and some setting up exer cises morning and evening will give you a pretty figure, roses in your cheeks, a sparkle in your eye, a clearer brain and renewed "vim, vigor and vitality." It's a good freshening spring stunt. GRAPEFRUIT GELATIN . Make raspberry gelatin in the us ual way, but use half a cup less wat er than the recipe calls for. Cut a grapefruit in half, scoop tout the juice and pulp. : Remove seeds and add sugar. When the gelatin is cool enough that it will not turn the grape fruit bitter, add this to the raspberry gelatin and set away to harden. This may be served as a salad, on a lettuce leaf and with salad dressing; or it may serve as a dessert, with whipped cream. , TO COOK BACON Bacon should cook quickly. It should be crisp and brown but not dried out and woody. You will find, if you put-your bacon or ham on to cqok in a cold pan, it will cook more evenly and more quickly than if you let the pan become hot first. Do not let the grease burn and give the meat a bad flavor. Watch it closely while it is cooking., It should not smoke. . EGG When , you have had eggs for. a meal, do not dip the dishes immediat ely into hot dishwater, but soak them a few minutes first in cold water. After this the egg will wash off eas ily. Silver should never be left stand ing with egg on it. The sulphur of the egg will turn - the silver black. Soak the silver quickly in cold water and wash it as soon as possible. FOR HOUSECLEANING Old flannel, knit underwear, old kitchen towels and coarse, soft rags make the best cloths for washing woodwork and doing general house cleaning. For washing windows, firm er materials from old sheets, pillow slips or shirts ,arc better, as they will be less likely td shed lint. .. LETTUCE To keep lettuce fresh and crisp for several days, wash it thoroughly when it comes from the store. If it is wilted soak it in cold water until crisp. Then wrap it lightly in a . paper sack or in a waxed bread wrapper and keep in the top of the refrigerator. CARROT AND PEANUT SALAD Put through the food chopper one cup each of raw. carrots and salted peanuts. Mix with salad dressing and serve on lettuce. , To the dressing ' Serving The Financial Interests of The "OLD NORTH STATE" In The Same Location Over 65 Weathering the Storms of Financial Turmoil Without Passing a Dividend During This Period Wake County's Oldest Bank We Invite Active and Savings Accounts 4 Per Cent on Savings IIA0UL PEST , THRIMJT STATE Gardeners Who Like Fresh Beans Must Prepare To Use Poison SHOULD SPRAY EARLY Magnesium Arsenate Reco mended As Most Effec tive Control Now that the' Mexican bean beetle, destructive pest of snap and lima beans, has spread over the entire state, those growers who like fresh beans, from their own home gardens must prepare to poison the pest or do without this desirable vegetable. , C. H. Brannon, extension entomolo gist at State college,, says the Mexi can bean beetle feeds otj the under side of the leaves, seriously injur ing the plants. When injury is very severe all parts of the plant may be fed upon and the plant' be. complete ly destroyed. The beetle prefers the common garden beans and the lima or butter beans. The next choice is beggar weed but in some casesi where there is heavy infestation, the beetle will attack both soybeans and cow peas. - - Apply To Under Surface One thing to keep in mind in pois oning the pest is that beean plants are very tender. Exact amounts of poison should be used and this poison must be applied to the under sur face of the leaves if it is to be ef fective. Mr. Brannon recommends the magnesium arsenate spray as the best control. Those growers having only a small patch of beans may make up the spray by using five level tablespoonsful of the magnesium arsenate powder o three gallons of water. Larger quantities may be pre pared by using a pound of the pois on to 50 gallons of water. 'Apply at the rate of from 90 to 100 gallons of the mixture to an acre of beans. One should begin to spray the plants when beetles are first found . ff.u if ii . in ine neiu. ir mey are numerous, repeat the applications every week or ten davs but stop spraying when the pods begin to form. Mr. Brannon finds, that three or four applications are sometimes needed, though usually two careful snrays will be sufficient. It is often difficult to find dead in sects in the best poisoned fields. may be added chopped olives, pickles and parsley. VILLAGES The inland villages are fair; Above their roads the high trees meet And shelter houses' white and square That front a quiet street. But villages beside the sea Arc rough as wind and fierce as light, ' And brown-skinned girls dance wild and free When fiddles play at night. Selected.