The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-10-20
Lespedeza Striafa-EoW to Cultivate.
1ok4o., &c ;pou;,r, m tho host

way of managing the Lespedeza are reach
| ing the undersigned that he thinks 1t most
advisable to make known through our agrl-
cultural and other journals what little the
experience and observation Of the past year
have taught or suggested to him upon the
subject. 1t must be remembered that ne
knew nothing of the plant eighteen months
ago. His advice, therefore, founded only
| on opportunities of observation so limited,
| must be taken for what it may be conceived
| to be worth under the circumstances.
Where he gives facts, they may be relied
on. and results equally favorable hoped for
| in similar cases but where he gives an
opinion, it must be taken only as such,
| whether expressed in public print or pri-
vate letters, and the readers judgment
guided accordingly. He would not on any
account mislead, and therefore must not
be understood as speaking positively except
| in regard to actually-known results.
Judging by what he has seen and heard
from others during the past year, he would
say the mode Of cultivating this plant will
depend mainly on these three considera-
| tions First, the condition Of the soil to be
sovn with it; secondly, the means and OPP
| portunities of the cultivator thirdly, the
object which in cultivating it he has in
view.
If, for instance, it is desired to bring into
pasturage piece of old worn out land at
as little expense as possible, and the owner
has neither the means of preparing 1t pro
| perly by the plow and harrow, nor the time
| for doing it if he had, let him just burn OF
sedge grass with all other trash, cut up
| bushes, briars, etc., and then scatter the
seed upon the hard, bare surface, leaving
| it to take its own chance. 1t will come
| certainly, though it may be not so fast into
pasturage as he could wish. Much, of
course, will depend on the condition of the
| soil much on the season. letthlsls exactly
| the way in which | sowcd the spot or spots
on that Uery, Gerry poor land mentioned
in the Planter and Farmer for September
last. The result is there stated. On both
those spots of ground-there were two OF
them, by-the-way, instead Of one-the cio-
yer has been growing all summer as thick
as it would be, very short 1t is true, but
closely interlaced and matted together.
This. also, is the way in which nature
generally our safest guide-sows 1t, and I'M
der whose management it is spreading
throughout the whole vicinity as II by magic.
Rut nature may sometimes be assisted b.
art. If. therefore, the farmer has time and
means at command, he will get his pasture
established sooner by blowing deeply, so as
to leave all surface soil on top, pulverlzlng
well with the harrow, and then sowing the
surface, running over it with only light
brush. Narrowing in the seed might cover
some Of it too deep; blowing in, | feel con-
| would p1onn of If III
to admit of termination.
Now | think, from what l have seen and
heard, it must be very poor land indeed
which would not bear heavy pasturing, II
thus prepared, in fifteen months after SOW
ing in March or April; in other words, by
the end of the second June. In fact, be-
lieve it might be pastured in five months !;
but it would be pennywi8e economy. Bet
ter to wait another season and let the plant
get we'll established by the dropping of its
countless seeds. The-same may be said OF
lands in medium condition better, by far,
to give the clover fair chance to establish
itself. 1t will pay best in the end. l have
not vet tried plaster on this plant, but am
persuaded that in either of the above cases
it would act like charm on our thin, sandy
coils. The plant, to all appearance, evil
IDENTIFY rejoices in moisture; On high, dry,
and thin lands, hugging the earth closely,
and spreading out lateral branches widely
as if in search of it; but on lower and
damper places, standing erect and attaining
a height of from six to twelve or more
inches in proportion to their productive
capacity. On really good bottom lands 1t
is said to run up from thirtysix TO forty
two inches; but have not seen this, haT-
ing no such lands in cultivation with il.
There is really no telling the way in
which this clover spreads itself after the
second season from sowing. My candid
opinion is, that on most old fields having
any strength and any surface soil left ii
would cover the ground perfectly in fifteen
months after sowing, provided only one seed
should fall aud take effect in the centre OF
every square foot. But can furnish seed
ut the rate of one dollar an acre that will
give very much better stand than that
Persons wishing to make inquiries on the
subject are requested to write to me for
printed circular, enclosing stamp with en-
7elope superscribed with their own name
and postotIice address.
On the other hand, if it is desired to put
this grass into bottoms or other rich lands
with o view to return the first season, q
much larger quantity of seed will be re-
uuired than for converting uplands into
pastures by the slower process above de-
scribed-say, four or five times as much. a
good crop, think, might thus be obtained
by October, if soWn in March or April
but the result would probably be more Ger,
tain if no grain were sown with it to rctard
its early growth.
IF the object is to use this plant as a fer,
tilizer, SOW thickly in the spring on grow
ing wheat or oats, and let be till the
second August, when it may be turned
under for wheat again; or till the following
spring, for oats. liz this way it will have
become thorouhly established and seeded
for all time if managed with judgment and
care.
The great excellence Of the Japan clover
is that it will enable one to bring old, use,
less lands into more or less profitable use
in SO short time and at so very trifine
expense. Observe, he will not have to ma.
nure these lands in the first place in order
to bring them into producing condition, as
he would to get start with red clover. He
could purchase no fertilizer to do that short
of ten or twelve dollars an acre. But with
the Japan, without the least outlay of thai
kind, at IN expense of one hundred dollars
! for seed, he may convert one hundred acres