Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1858-03-06
PARMRRy DEPARTMENT.
Clover.

which can scarcely be ovcr-estimatod, and
we fear it does not receive sufficient con-
sidcrotion. AS furnishing large amount
of excellent pasture and fodder for domcs-
tic animals, and as 4 means Of keeping
up The fertility of our farms when plowod
under, it deserves prominent place in
the system of rotation adopted by those
who fellow either a mixed or grain
growing husbandry. As a general rule,
every acre of Winter grain should be
"seedod down. as it is termed, 20 clover
in the Spring, to remain for at least ono,
and notmore than three years as mead wv
or pasture.
The soil best adapted to the clover
plant is that of a somewhat claycy char
acter--such as will produce the best
wheat crops. Any soil which will grow
wheat will also grow clover. A deep,
well-drained loan suits il well-on all i'll
drained soils it suffers much from Winter
killing, especially if the Spring prove one
of little snow and variable temperature.
On light soils it needs the assistance Of
manure to prove profitable.
Clover is usually sown early in Spring
upon Winter grains, and occasionally
with oats and barley. With Che latter it
generally does well, especially if sown in
good season. Upon wheat, we SOW in
March, when the season is sufficiently
sdvanced. While slight frosts continue,
the slight cracking and heaying of the
soil through their action, will generally
furnish sufficient covering for the seed.
thoTgh some recommend sowing later,
and narrowing in, arguing that this pro-
cess not only covers the clover more
perfectly, but benefits the wheat crop
When seeding with Spring grains, it is
usually sufficient to pass over with the
roller, sowing the clover seed after the
last narrowing.
The benefit which clover derives from
plaster seems "fixed fact in agriculture"
not needing special remark in this con-
nection. Hence they have become asso-
ciated in the minds of most farmers as
partners in the product desired, and the
one usually accompanies the other. We
think, however, that the sowing of plaster
upon wheat fields seeded to clover is
frequently deferred too late. The clover
needs its aid when it first comes up, beside,
if sown late the wheat is injured by its
causing too rank growth of straw at the
time when the grain is forming. We !
should sow plaster as early as April, if
possible, upon wheat. and upon Spring
grain seeding as soon as it fairly appeared
above ground.
The amount of seed necessary for an
acre depends upon the character of the
'oil, but there seems no disposition as yet
o seed too heavily. Loamy soils need
less than clayey, and the growth of the
crop with which it is seeded-whether
large or small-has considerable influence.
A peck to the acre is little enoueh--some
use more, but many less. 1t is poor
economy to SOW but half enough to cover
the surface the pasturage and hay are of
much less value, and the saving of five
dollars in seed often entails a loss ocI
FIVE times that amount in the product.
There are many varieties of the clover
plant, but those most grown are the
common red, or Northern clover, of which
we believe there are two varieties, the
larger, or pea-vine clover, and the medium
as it is called, perhaps. from dying
between that and the Southern or small
variety. The medium kind makes the
best hay, and is equally valuable as
green manure.
We have already remarked the great
value of clover for this latter purpose
Some Of the reasons why it is so, may be
thus briefly stated. Glover takes less
from the soil and more from the atmos-
phere, in proportion to the feeding and
manuring value of its product, than most
other plants. 1t has numerous roots,
long, bulk stalks, and abundant leaves,
each supplying vegetable matter 10 the
soil. A luxuriant growth of clover is an
excellent preparation for any and every
crop. Its far spreading roots loosen and
deepen the soil and bring to their support
and to the surface the clements of fertility
below the reach of most other crops
This, too, is the reason why clover de-
lights in deep, fresh soil, and why, after
subsoil blowing, it is so certain to sue
ceed.-Ruai Nea0 YORKER.
VINO WOULD NOT BE A FARMER ?-The
Louisville Courier pays the following
trihutn IN the occuDatiOn nt the farmer -