The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-01-24
AGRICULTURAL.
From tie Southern Culitrator.
Growing Glover at the South.

# it be practicable to grow profitable
rrops of red clover at the South, the fact
onyht to be generally known. Mr.. Groom
# Greenboro' Alabama, makes the follow.
ing statements on this subject in the No
v"mber number of the Soil Of the South =:
"A gentleman living in the neighborhood
Of my plantation, Mr. George Minge,
made last year IA bale of cotton Of 500 lbs
10 the acre, on a lot which had been in
clover several years, and which had been
regularly moved and grazed, while the
adjoining land OF similar quality without
the benefit Of clover yielded no more than
500 lbs. Of seed cotton. have had the
present year 275 fattenng hogs besides
my other stock on clover pasture. The
grazing is fine at this time. | am sure
that besides what is grazed, enough fell
and dried up on the ground to make 80
lbs. of clover hay. There is one field OF
35 acres not grazod at all, where the
ground is covered one and half or two
inches deep with the dry stalks, and a
fine second crop now out; and this field
was sown in February last. The clover
and stock business does not Mt all inter.
fere with full crop of cotton, corn, pota.
toes and every other crop usually grown
on the Harm. There can be no doubt tn AT
the now ascertaned fact of our lime lands
being adapted to the growth of Red Clo-
yer appreciates their value loo per cent.
1t is admitted TO be true OF the land in
Virginia, Tennessee and other States and
lt Is equally or more so in South Alaba-
ma"
We are inclined TO believe that Mr..
Groom is correct in his suggestions and
opinions iii reference to the adaptation of
cacarious soils to the economical produc-
Ion OF clover. Certain it is that the lime
stone lands of western New York greatly
"Ncel all the freestone and granatic soils
I'M that State, or any other known to us,
l" the luxurant growth Of this valuable
plant. We still doubt whether the cIi-
mate Of South Alabama" is as favorable
to red clover as that of more Northern
states; but the experience of Mr.. Groom
and of his neighbors f,rds valuable en-
rburagement for others to try the expert
iI1ut vi cultivating this renovating crop.
! Or dairy purposes, for grazing mules,
horseS, swine and sheep, clover has many
"A lyantages. Timothy hay, and that form.
q from other English grasses, as well rs
smiar Indigenous grasses ut the South,
'ntain' too little organized nitrogen to
equal 10 clover in the production of
esh in domestic animals, cheese in milk
nd other protein compounds. Acarefu!
Experiment. made in the city Of Washing
N by dairyman in feeding cut clover
md cut timothy t. a herd Of mich cows
proved the superiority o clover for yielding
Inilk--an article Of almost universal con
sumption. This experiment decided the
doubt with US whether to make on our
own farm in tue District Of Columbia a
meadow of timothy or Que of clover in
favor Of the latter. But our lanI, like
that Of large majority Of our readers,
lacks lime, aud is therefore not naturally
adapted to the production of this plant.
VIII theai,lition If lime alone to free
stone oiIinake it in all respects equal TO
a natural cdlc..rious onel From much
observation and some analysis, we venture
to answer the above question in ths mega
tive. Cdlearious earths are formed under
peculiar circumstances which give them
other important elements Of fertility be-
sides Inns. Nevertheless, the application
Of lime to all lands that lack this mineral
Is good practice, although perchance other
fertalizers may be needed. On many
soils, lime alone appears to work wonders
in developing agricultural resources never
before known 70 exist.
Ia calling public attention TO the value
Of clover aud lime, it would not he diff
cult TO adducs strong corroboraliye. testi-
mony TO that of Mr.. Groom, IL we deemed
IL necessary to our purpose Take lime
and clover from the soil Of Monroe coun
y, in the valley Of the Genesee, and it
'slah no longer yield, as it now does,
nifiIon and iialf bushels Of wheat year
aud a ha0 misi9n 5ushe4 more than any
,sias eoanty ~ i'e Unised States. Like