The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-04-04
Needing Down Often.

Next to manuring, frequent seeding
to clover and grass seed is OF the great
est Importance in making and Keeping
land rich and productive. Indeed, when
we consider the great advantage OF a
rotation in which frequent seeding Is
important as change, and for grow
ing laIsy amount of forage to feed to
make manuIe, us well as to fill the soil
with clover and grass roOts-l say when
we consider these objects and adyanta-
yes, the question OF frequent seeding
seems to be OF at least equal import
ance with that of frequent manurlng'
But both are closely connected. Inc
good farmer grows hay to feed to make
manure, and seeds down his land TO
grow hay. If there is a want OF manure,
there is generally a lack of hay to iced
and make it; and consequently need OF
of seeding more or better, to grow more
hay.
Flowing under good clover sod Is
one Of the easiest and cheapest means
by which land can be improved Inc
crop of clover, if good, has already Deen
protitable, and no one thinks OF making
apy charge for. or account OF good
clover lev; and yet it is often OF as Inuch
benefit to the land as moderate dress
inc of manure. This is especially the
case when the clover has made little
Growth, saw from four to eight inches
6iob. aud Is turned under W hile In full
yiSor. have realized much Denent IN
this way; but not near so much as misnI
have been secured, had the advantages
of this practice been as we'll understood
at the beginning, as at this time; otners
have also written strongly in favor OF
this course. Prof. Johuston, Agrlcultn-
raj Chemistry, page IA, says:
This burying of recent vegetable
matter in the soil, in the ferm of living
and dead roots of plants, is one OF the
most important ameliorating operations
of nature. which is always, to some ex-
tent. going on wherever vegetation pro.
ceeds. 1t is one by which the practical
farmer is benefited uhawares, ana oi
wbich-too often without understanding
the source from which the advantage
comes. he Systematically avails himself
in some of the most skillful steps he
takes with view to the Improvement
Of his land"
II is because many are not aware OF
the advantages of this course, and IL Is
so likely 10 be overlooked on account oi
its ease and small cost, orrather freedom
from cost, that ! wish to urge its impor
tance OIL grain farmers.
Rpt in order to realize these adyanta
ges, it is necessary to seed often: Il
land IS kept under the plow as Ions
az it will grow grain before it is seeded
down, and kept in grass Rs long as Il
will produce any hay or pasture before
il ia again broken up, but little Denen'
will be realized. A worn out and run
ant sod affords but little fertilizing
matter to turn under, and can do but
little good. While blowing under 8
good clover ley, with the ground vel
filled with roots; two or three times du
ring the same period, will make very
considerable improvement. In the mrs,
case the clover is all run out, and mos'
of the benefits secured by its growth
are used up by the succeeding crops o.
timothy and Juno grass; and thes'
grasses, being exhausting crops, lmPov'
erish the soil besides, while in the lat
ter case there 10 large addition to its
fertility, So that by only seeding al
such very long periods, land must gro"
Door, Notwithstanding all the manurs
that can be made, is saved and applied
while BY seeding often, in Judlciou'
rotation of crops, with the same pain:
in paking and saving manure, lano
NAV be kept improving. AT the same
/ time such rotation and Improvement
win secure much better crops and lar
ger profits. -.
Bnt to secure these advantages, lib
eral sesdiDg is necessary. 1t is pool
economy to try save in the respect. A
thin seeding gives light crop OF trathel
coarse hay, and light, open sod to tnrl
under, while liberal seeding Will give
a heavier crop of much better quality
and afford a much heavier and richel
sod to improve the soil. In this sector
not less than eight quarts should D'
sown; and where clover and timothy o.
a mixture of these and some othe'
grasses is sown. more is better. but IL
n rotation where Improvement OF th'
soil is an object, clover should be th'
main reliance. Then, if sOwn alone
not less than q peck should be put on
if mixed with timothy, the proportion
should be two quarts of clover to one o
timothy and not less than ten quart
, sewn. Then clover is still the mail
} crop, and timothy only added to NOR
fully occupy the ground and produce
finer quality of hay.