The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1859-04-20
Agrifnltnral,
rom the Planter and Mechanic.
Glover and other e


ference to grasses suitable for our soil and
climate, we thought we might better an
swer them through another, than our
selves, and have selected from the adj
dress Of Mr.. c. w. Howard, of Georgia, be-
fore the Agricultural Society of Hancock.
Our observations confirm the proposition
of Mr.. Howard, that the cultivation of
this valuable grass is more a question of
soil and suitable treatment, than of eli
mate. We have seen patches of as fine
clover in Mississippi As in any part of the
United States, and if patch of an acre, or
forty acres as we have seen, can be made
To grow well and thriftily, why not an hun
dred or n thousand do as well? ? Give il
the same richness of earth and take the
same pains with it in preparation that our
Northern and Eastern farmers do, and
we can see in Mississippi as fine clover
fields as in Kentucky or Connecticut.
No. |. RED CLovER.-This grass is so
well known as to require no extended de-
scription of its general value and habits
1t Will grow in any part of the State if the
soil be made sufficiently rich and if not
too heavily grazed during the heat of sum-
mer. The chief difficulty in its culture,
is obtaining a good stand. This difficulty
most generally arises from the poverty of
the ground in which it is sown. The
young plants not having sufficient nutri-
ment for immediate and vigorous growth.
are smothered by crab grass or weeds natu-
raj to the soil. If the time of sowing be Sc
lected, which will enable the young plants
to strike their tap roots in the soil. before
the weeds begin to grow, afterwards they
! defy all opposition. The best season for
sowing clover is the time of sowing tur-
nips or very early wheat. When once
| fairly established, the value of red clover
| can hardly be exaggerated. Ashes, lcached
or unleached, are the best manure for it
where lime Is too expensive. Gypsum
| greatly stimulates its growth, using only
one bushel to the acre. 1t is now settled
that success in the growth of clover is not
a question of climate, but rather of soil
| The splendid clover fields near New Or
leans are proof Of this. The lands of
Southwestern Georgia probably could not
be surpassed in their yield of clover. /
! have seen it near Savannah and in Bald
win county as fine as | have ever seen in
New or Old England. Everything de
| pends on the preparation of the soil, time
| of sowing, and subsequent treatment
At the North, the danger is that it will
| be frozen out-at the South, that it will
be burned out. The one danger is no
| greater than the other. Proper precautions
will guard against them both.
Red clover has an especial value to us
at the South, where bacon is so much
used in feeding our negroes. We have a
| general idea that clover is great reliance
| in Kentucky in raising those large drOves
of hogs which are annually brought into
this State But the full value of this plant
for this purpose is not appreciated. 1t
may not be amiss to quote two agricultu-
raj authorities of undoubted veracity,
| showing the number of which may be
raised upon an acre of clover. DR.. Deane.
the father of improved farming in New
| England, says: Il suppose that one acre
of rich land in clover, will support twenty
| or more swine, large and small together,
| through the summer, and bring them well
forward in their growth"
Arthur Young, the father of improved
farming in Old England, states that "he
pastured sixty-four swine of various sizes
on two acres of clover ground" If the
half of this result can be obtained in
Georgia. a very few acres of clover would
raise sufficient pork for large plantation
The large Mackay boar, weighing SOC
pounds, exhibited by me at this Fair, has
been fed entirely, during the spring and
summer. on clover and other grasses. hav
ing eaten no grain of any kind except that
which he found when the stubble field,
were first opened. With us, clover bear.
summer pasturing better than the spear
grasses, observing the precaution not t
begin to pasture it until il is in blossom
and never to pasture it so closely that the
roots should be exposed to the summer
sun. | have now twenty acres of clovel
which was moved in the spring, which
has not been gIazed since, and which i
! now two feet high, and upon which stocl
will not be turned until after Christmas
From that time until spring it will sup
port, abundantly, one COW or five sheep t,
the acre.
No. > WHITE CLovER.-This plant sue
ceeds well in all parts of the State. As
pasture grass, it comes early in the sprin
and continues late in the fall. 1t is val
liable fertilizer. 1t is undervalued as
hay grass, because its growth is smal
when it occupies the ground by itself; bu
if sowed with the taller grasses, it is force,
upwards and gives heavy cutting nea
the ground, point in which most ha
grasses are deficient.
No. 3. CRIMSON CLovER.-Tritoli,un Inca
natiua.-This plant has thriven very we
| WIFI lllt INIllE Allt DtlSb StdSOIl. IL
much earlier than the common red clOvel
| am unprepared to express an opinion a
> to its real value, as it has been unde
trial only one year. From the rapidit
and vigOr of its growth, and the igl
feathery character of its seed, in cons,
. | quence of which it may be readily sea
/, tered by winds and birds, it is possibl
that it might spread rapidly and be ofva
I nnnnn nf fhiS -
all winter, and early in the spring afforC
: abundant food for sheep, or, if left unit
May, it presents large crop for til
scythe, and may be used for soiling or Gu
ting into hay" This clover is much use
in climates similar to our own, as Franc
Il Spain and Italy. This fact affords a pr
:, sumption that it will be of service tous.
No. 4. SAINFoIN.-This plant is muC
! grown.
: No. 5. LUCERNE.-Thispl plantisin succes
s full cultivation i'm all parts of the Stat
d from the mountains to the seaboard.
: grows with luxuriance wherever the lar
Y is made sufficiently rich. But it is gene
ally cultivated on a small scale, as in ga
dens-chieflv as border to beds. 1t is
matter of surprise that persons observiI
its success on a small, have not attemptC
r it on large scale. For certain purpos
it is extremely useful. 1t is ready for Il
e scythe sooner than any other grass Wi
s US. 1t can be cut and fed green, early
is the spring; in the summer 1t may
~ made into hay, and in the autumn aga
! cut and fed green. 1t is highly priced
e England. but can only be cultivated
the Southern countries. In Franc
Spain, Switzerland, Italy, and, in fact,
all the warm and dry countries OF EuroI
it is the chief reliance for stock feediT
- No country in whieh Lucerne will thri
need be deficient in good stock, for
kinds of stock are exceedingly fond of
If any intelligent farmer will plant o
acre of Lucerne, it will be but a she
E, time before he will appropriate ma
; more acres to it. A host of agricultu
authorities might be adduced to show t
X, great value of this plant Any perfec
cleansing crOn ia n good preparatlOn for