Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-12-24
ealCUl.TURiL-.--SClENTqFlC
CLOVER CULTURE.

Clover, in common with all other plants
oSs5uniaous plants or pod bearing family,
draws less from the soil, and more from the
atmosphere In proportion TO the feeding or
manning, value of the product, than any
o.ter family Of plants. The peculiar value
Of clover as mauuring crop has long been
Known, and made use OF in practice The
like value Of the native pea Cor more cor
rectly bsan) of the Southern States is
scarcely less than Of clover. Such have
been tbs differences of practical farmers,
from experienced effects only. BIT scien-
tiSc Investigations have more lately thrown
light on the subject. In this article, de-
signed exclusively for practical application,
it would be improper to make more than
slight reference to these very interesting
scientific researches. It has been found
that in clover stems, leaves and roots, and
In the stems and leaves of peas and beans,
and nore especially their seeds, there is
more azote than in other plants. Boussin-
gait found that plants OF the leguminous
tribe, red clover and peas, absorbed azote
from the atmosphere, and which could not
be done by plants of the cereal or grain
bearing tribe. Azote, though much the
smallest ingredient Of the elements of Or
ganic matter, is incomparably the richest !;
and its presence and quantity constitute the
greatest alimentary value Of plants, for food
or manure. The cereal plants can obtain
their necessary supply of azote from the
soil only. The leguminous plants can as
we'll profit by all the azote supplied by the
soil and inorganic manures, but also can
draw this richest aliment from the atmos-
phsrs, where the quantity is unlimited, and
the supply only limited by the power Of
plants to absorb and use it in this separate
aud pure form.
1t has further been understood by scien-
Ei6c investigators that plants in general take
up but little nutriment from the soil before
they form their seeds. Previous to that
time, water and the atmosphere have main
ly supplied the nutriment necessary for
their growth. Upon these grounds. if clo-
yer is mown for green food or hay Qor con-
suNption on the farm, before the seeds are
fully formed, there has been but little ab-
stracted from the soil and the use of the
removed clover as both food and material
tor manure, must be of more value than as
manure only, if left stand on the land. II
moving is later, for hay, and when some
few Of the seed are matured, though more
will then have been distracted from the
soil, still the product goes to the farm. The
earliest profit, from the food, goes to the
farmer, in the labor or the fattening of ami
mails. The manure SO produced though
less in quantity and value than If the clo-
yer had been left to die and fall on the
hsld, is not as much leSsened, as the "a
mount of the other important value derived
from mown clover.
Bat there are other important advanta-
: ges Of moving the first growth of clover
Il is ready for the scythe, for green food in
May, and fit for hay early in June. During
that time, all the weeds which damage the
wheat crop by the admixture OF seeds, are
then in growth, too far advanced to again
produce seeds, and then too green for their
seeds to terminate. The clover field is
more or less set with these weeds-cockle
I, darlel, cheat and wild garlic--and-some-
timss rye and cats, if these crops were
grown on the ground when last under
wheat All these ANIMALS are efectually
destroyed oy moving the land for clover.
! Even The wild garlic, though the root is not
hurt, has its abundant seeds above ground
de ,troyed, and for that year,in its injurious
effect much limited. Further, by removing
\ the first growth of clover before its seeding,
!. the secoud crop springs quicker and grows
batter. Ii designed to supply seed, the pro-
duet is better. and more easy to harvest
L to De plouyhed under in August or Sep
TENDER, to prepare for wheat, the ploughing
viii be much easier, and more efectual,
tlan if the dead first growth had renamed.
d. RuBiH.