Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-04-19
AGRICULTURAL.
From the New England Farmer.
SOWIN5 CLOVER WITH OTHER GRASS



Nh Eador,-As the season is at hand for sowing |
spring grain, and as most farmers SOW their grass
seed at the same time, have thought would offer
few remarks, and point out what think is a mis-
take in many farmers at least in the section of the
country where reside, in not sowing clover with
other grass seed.
For some years past many farmers have neglect
ed sowing clover seed. They say the northern, on
well manured land, grows so rank that it lodges,
and IS difficult to get it dry enough to be carried
to the barn. without shattering most of the heads
and leaves and their stock will not eat the coarse
stalks. The Southern is too early for other grass
es and IS table, in making to lose its leaves, and
produce very small crop when sown alone.
Some OF the above objections are true. IT. after
the clover IS mown, it is spread and turned in the
middle OF the day, and raked into winrows and
rolled into cocks-and the next day opened and
turned and shook up several times as practced by
some farmers, it is no wonder their cattle will not
eat it, and that they will not SOW it. But there are
some good and observing farmers who continue to
SOW it, 5e4eying that their land is benefited by It,
although they do not consider the first crop of so
much value, yet they think upon the whole they
getas great an amount of hay in the course, latter
the clover has disappeared) before again blowing
up, as the decayng roots of the clover afford food
for the other grasses, and leave the ground open for
the admission of air and water.
In securing my clover for several years past |
have pursued the following method: When about
half of the heads have turned brown, in good
bright hay weather, commence moving after the
dew is of-let it remain in the swarth until four or
five o'clock, 2. M; then with the fork commence
at the end of the swath, and take up flake, and
put it forward, and take up another, and on, till
| get forkfull this is placed on the warm dry
| ground, between the swaths and follow taking up
flake after fake and forkfull after forkfull, till
Judge the cocks contain about fifty pounds rake
up the scatterngs and let it remain in these small
| oh fha INN 1au |
make them into large heaps by putting two or three
into one; third day after the dew is off turn them
bottom upward, and in few hours they are fit to
cart in. have always till last season, sprinkled
few quarts of salt to each load, but last year used
no salt | put some twelve or fifteen tons OF hay,
mostly clover, into my barn, cured in this way, and
am now feeding it to my cattle, which eat it as
clean and freely as any hay | have given them
The leaves and heads are all on and as fresh and
OF as good color as when moved. But am salts
fed that the salt is beneficial to my stock, although
not required to prevent the hay from heating or be-
coming musty, and shall in future salt my clover
hay But in connection with this, there seems to be
one or two important considerations. Every per-
son who has been familiar with the agricultural
papers for the last fifteen years. must be aware Of
the great advantage the farmers of the Middle, aiit
the planters of the Southern States have derived
from the cultivation of clover in connexlon with
lime and Plaster of Paris. The long tap-root of the
W.
:, lands below where the tibrous roots of corn and
wheat have ever reached, and it finds in the unex
hausted subsoi those essential salts that have beer
exhausted in the top soil by long cropping and it
abundant leaves extract from the air the necessar,
carbon; and by blowing in the clover, it replenish
= es the soil with decaying vegetable matter, whic
II is soon converted into humus. This course give
s them essasing crops of Germ and wheat aud, cen
d tinued TOR few years, restores their exhauste
soils to their pristine fertility. Besides the above
n there seems to be another good reason why Glove
q. should be more generally cultivated here at tn
L North, where all our hay crops ure wanted 10
g winter forage. At page "a, of DIR. Dana's Priz
1t Essay, he says, "Cover is twice rich in nitro
1t gen as berdsgrass, and that the kind of a gree
crop turned in materially affects the value OF tn
l. process. While the straws of the grain-bearin
e plants afford for every ton of green crop turned IL
d, about three fourth Of pound of ammonia, gree
l. constalks and herdsgrass about five pounds of
monia per ton, red clover affords about seventee
J. pounds per ton The very great value OF clover
= enrching land is thus made evident"
NJ Without doubt the ratio OF nitrogen is relatvel
the in the green and dry herdsgrass and Gle
D. yer, and supposing the stems of the Glove
IN hay are not all eaten, if it goes into the compos
Is heap litter it is twice valuable as herdsgras
IN and twice the value of raw straw for manure, an
u the manure from what the stock did eat, would b
valuable in the same proportion.
es In the N. 4. Farmer of March Goth, Mr. Phinne
of recommends the practice of seeding down land
grass after the grain crop is taken of, by plowin
c. in the stubble and sowing the seed in Septembe
IS, and his opinions all matters pertaining to tn
s, farm are of the very highest authority. woul
~ suggest that where such course is to be pursued
if it would not be money well expended, to SOW
hit few pounds of southern clover seed per acre wit
the grain, for the express purpose OF blowing
ny with the stubble for manure BY its decompostio
it would afford heat, moisture and food to II
W, young and tender herdsgrass and red top and be
preservative against drought.