The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-03-03
A gric ult ural.
Clover and Grasses

|
making enquiries in regard to the cultivation OF
Red Clover and other grasses-the proper time
for sowing clover seed, cutting the grass, mode of
making and securing the hay, the best kind of soil
Tor Its production, &c, &c. Having been enga-
ged, to a greater or less extent, for more than
twenty years, in the cultivation of clover it was
my intention at the tme to reply to these various
enquiries but was very soon, thereafter, attack
ed with typhoid fever, which Frustrated me for
long time, and when recovered the matter
had entirely passed out of my mind.
As the time for sowing clover seed is now near
at hand, propose to answer the enquiries refer
red to according to my own experience and OBJ
servaton, hoping that if the answers do not reach
your Franklin subscriber they may possibly
attract the attention OF others seeking like inior
| nation, and may not, therefore be entirely lost
First, then, as to the character of the SOIL
lied clover, like other grasses grows best on good
soil, but will flourish better on poor soil than
most other varieties. Any soil that produces
wheat well will produce clover, but it, like every
| thing else in the vegetable kingdom, does best
In those soils which are peculiarly adapted to its
/ growth. L have found it to succeed better on
| strong upland clay soils than any other Low
marshy or wet lands do not suit it. The proper
| time for sowing the seed in this climate is the
| latter part OF February OF the early part of
March-thoueh it will do very well any time in
March, and should invariably be sown with oats
or some other protecting crop. Young clover
when it first emerges from the soil, is exceeding
ly tender and requires something protect it tor
few months from the effects of the summer S
| sun. lfit is designed for moving it will require
bushe of seed for about eight acres of ground,
but if intended for pastorage alone, bushel will
SOW ten acres thick enough. The ground should
h, hl1-,, oI nd
,, free from clods as possible The oats must first
be sown and either plowed in with narrow plows
or narrowed in as may be thought best, 50 that
the surface is left comparatively smooth. The
clover seed should then be sown and brushed in
with toleraby heavy brush, well selected for
the purpose, and prepared that it willnot drag
the seed up into Jumps or bunches The mode
| Of sowing Is somewhat various, but that which |
have used tor many years, and which l. esteem
the best, obtained from an essay of the late
Edmund Ruffin, of Virginia, who Was, perhaps,
unsurpassed in the United States as practical ag-
ricuIturalist 1t is as follows Have any num-
Der OF small paddles made that may be desired,
according to the number discovers They should
be- say eight nine inches long, beside the ham
de- and five or six inches wide with smooth
surface. Let each sower provide himself with a
common cloth apron and tie it on in the usual
way, llldH lne lIOHG pdlG Ol lHe
apron in his left hand and taking the paddle also
in the same hand having as much seed deposited
IN the apron as may be necessary to SOW round
he is equipped for the operation. The first step
on proceeding to the field is to arrange a set Of
guide stakes or otherwise slightly mark off the
ground, 50 that each sower will sow land of
about six feet in width. 1t is best to begin on
straight side of the field, (if there be "a
straight side to it, or otherwise arrange so that
the line traversed by the sewers will be as
straight as poss .ble-this will ensure greater
uniformity and evenness in the casting of the
seed. Having made these preliminary arrange
ments, let the first sower or leader take his posi-
tion three feet from the outer edge of the ground
with his apron gathered up and his paddle in
his left hand IS above described, the latter being
held yearly level or with the front end slightly
incIining downward, the next sower will take
position six feet from the second, and so on to
any number that may be required, the first
sower, acting as file leader, governs the move
ments of all the rest. Then taking up with the
right hand much seed as can conveniently be held
between the thumb and two first fingers and
moving off like platoon OF soldiers it is dashed
at every other step, with considerable force on
the central part Of the paddle from whence it
is scattered in all directions. Care must be ia
! ken By the sewers to keep their respective dis
| tances as upon this will depend the regularity
with which the seed is distributed, Any num-
Der Of sewers may be employed, and little ex-
perience with proper care will soon enable them
to perform the work with great uniformity.
| When the crop of oats is cut and removed,
nothing should be permitted to run upon the
| ground until sometime IN the fall when it may
be pastured by calves or other young cattle until
| frost appears In the following Spring, say from
the 1st to 18th April or as soon as the clover
has grown sufficiently to cover the ground pretty
! we'll plaster Of Paris should be sown broadcast
upon it at the rate Of not less than so to loo lbs
per acre-more would be better, but have found
! this quantity, if it be mixed with an equal guam
| tty Of leached ashes to answer very we'll Conn
bining the plaster with ashes makes it more
easily and evenly sown, as it does not fly off so
much. In sowing the plaster it is important to
select calm morning and if it be little damp
or the atmosphere heavy, it is all the better.
Care should be taken to leave no strips Or spots
unsown. | may premise here that plaster of
Paris does not act equally as we'll on all soils or
rather upon clover growing on all varieties Of
soil and in order to test its efficacy. it would be
well to leave strip through the field without its
! application. Plaster Of Paris prepared for agr-
! cultural purposes can be obtained readily in Bal
t;,nore at SIS to SIS per ton THutchson,
Burroughs Il Co, of Charlotte, have plaster and
| other fertilizers for sale.
! In regard to :he proper time of cutting clover,
it depends upon the use to be made of it. If it
| is designed for soiling milk cows or horses, or
| feeding to hogs, it may be cut soon as the
| bloom appears. but if intended for hay it should
| not be cut until about one-half the heads have
turned brown When cut it should be left In
the swath for half day if the weather be clear,