American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-09-04
farm. Garden & giousthold.
Glover as a Manure.

y
the attention of our best farmers, and
if we are to Judge from results clover
has contributed largely to the enrich
ment ofthe farm and as consequence
tho farmer also. The following
valuable article illustrating its value
as a manure, which appears in the
editorial columns ofthe Country Gen.
tlsnan, is commended to the atten-
ton of every farmer who reads the
Germantown Telegraph: 1t has been
Justly remarked that the red clover
plant is the foundation of successful
farming. The remark will apply to
all portions of the country, except it
be to the neighborhood of cities where
land is worth several hundred dollars
per acre, and where stable manure
may be obtained in abundance for the
growth of garden crops, and other
high priced products. Agricultural
chemists, as we'll as observing farms
ers, have given it as their opinions
that the manure of animals fed on
good clover hay, is worth five times
as much per load as manure from
straw fed animals. Taking it as
granted that the estimate is approx
imatingly correct, it is obvious that
the turning under of green crop
which produces such rich manure,
must in itself add greatly to the fer
tility of the soil. If a ton of green
clover is worth FIVE times as much
for fertilizing purposes as a ton of
common yard manure made by animals
fed on straw or timothy hay, and
with straw litter largly intermixed,
then a good crop of clover might be
rated in value about as follows: Two
tons of stalks and leavs, estimated
when converted to dry hay, would be
equal to at least four tons of the
green material; and half this amount
in roots would be two tons more
the whole, six tons, multiplied by five
TO bring it to the standard of comomn
manure, would show heavy crop of
clover to be worth thirty tons Of or
dinary yard manure. This estimate
may not be strictly correct, and it
cannot always be, as yard manure
varies much in its value according to
age, amount of straw or cornstalks
used, and mode of heaping or preserv-
ing. But let the estimate be varied
so as to meet the different circumstan-
,ces, and it will still be seen that clo-
yer possesses eminent advantages
The heinfuence which the roots possess
ess in loosing and rendering mellow
the heavy sells in which they grow,
is one of great Importance assisting as
it does the difu of the manure of
the leaves and stems through the soil
in the process of decay. Those who
have been in the practice Of working
heavy or claey land, can appreciate
the great difference between the con-
dtion of an inverted sod turned over
Hike brick clay, when nothing but
timothy or grass has grown upou it,
and another sod thoroughly loosend
and pulyerized by the roots of clover
which have everywhere penetrated
through it. The one is like cIammy,
unleavened bread; the.other like spon-
gv texture Of we'll raised loaf. 1t
is in this way that clover may exert
"a beDifcial influence, either in the
ordinary process Of cultivation, or in
favoring the intermixture of common
manure through the soil, nearly as
great as its enriching value.
Estimating the value of good clo-.
yer crops as equal to thirty loads of
yard manure, cultivatiors may easily
figure which will be most economic
alapplications, including the drawing
and spreading. On hills, or on parts
of large farms remote from stables,
the balance will be found to be much
in favor of the green crop. Every
thrifty farmer manufacturers and saves
all the yard manure which ne can; but
in common mixed husbandry it is in
sufficient ofitself to keep up a high
state of fertility in all the fields. A
rotation comprising the frequent
turning under of a growing crop. be-
comes absolutely essential to a sue
cessful apd profitable husbandry.-
Such rotation will usually be found
most advantageous if the crop is
plowed uudcr at two years of age
The plants viii then have obtained
full size. 1t may be cut for hay the
first year, ,and cured without becoming
wet, will not only make an excellent
nutritive feed for cattle and sheep,
but the manure resulting from this
feeding, as we have already remarked
will be of high value, Since the in
PRODUCTION of moving machines, hay
tedders, horse rakes and horse forks,
there is little necessity of allowing a
crop of clover to become blackened
and spoiled by rain.
During recent visit to the nurse
ries at Geneva, NY, we had occasion
10 observe the great efficiency with
which clover manuring was managed
in preparing groand for planting
trees The comAara ivelv small nuan