The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-04-05
1,nnroxins by Grasses.

A correspondent Of the Cutiuator gives
his views about seeding clover and the
grasses. He concludes with the following
sound suggestions az to clover ana the
grasses as improvers Of the soil:
More land should be seeded down. There
Is no other course nor practice in American
farming that is more important than largely
and frequently seeding to clover. Wherever
improved farming is desired or attempted,
this must be one Of the first steps. True,
nothing is better than good barn-yard ma
nure. But this manure must be made be-
fore it can be used, and very few farms can
produce all that is needed, unless they are
already very rich. Where an increase
in the amount Of manure is desired,
there must be on increase in the amount
of ferd to make it Of. For this there is no
thing equal to clover. In the ease and small
expense with which it may be grown, and
in its value for feeding and making ma
nure, there is no other crop equal to clover.
These advantages should be enough to in
duce every farmer to grow and feed all the
clover he can make room for. But when it
lie considered that land is largely improved
while the clover is growing that where
other crops would exhaust the soil and rem
der another dressing of manure necessary,
clover, if allowed to make full growth for
hay and seed, would in two years improve
the land as much as an ordinary manuring-
when these, with the other benefits, are
considered, the great advantage Of growing
clover largely will be seen.
A great deal is well and truly said in re-
gard TO the great need of more manure.
The exhaustion Of large sections Of natu-
rally good land, and the tendency to and
danger Of largely injuring all Of our best
grain lands, are frequently and torcibly
pointed out, and the need of more and bet
ter manuring largely dwclt on. But the
great need of more frequently and heavily
seeding to clover, with view to keep up
and improve the fertility Of the soil, and
save some of the expense Of increased ma
nurinp, is not 30 well considered and I'M
derstood. Not that I object to barn-yard
manure, or think there is the least danger
of using too much, or that if enough could
be had there would be 80 much need of
growing clover but it is because it is very
difficult to provide all the manure needed
that clover should be much more largely
grown. For, in fact, all the advantages of
the best management and use of both clover
and barn-yard manure are needed to keep
I'D and improve the condition of most farms.
True, in some of the older sections of the
country the land sometimes refuses to grow
clover. In such places it may be we'll to
ascertain whether thorough and deep cul-
tivation, and euriching with barn-yard or
mineral manures-like lime, plaster, or
ashes-may not produce clover. Bat still,
if these all fail, other grasses may be grown
and fed to good advantage. In all cases
the great point is to seed often and well,
and to adapt the seeding to the circum-
stances. Then by growing and feeding a
large amount of forage, making all the ma
nure possible, and always again breaking
up while there is good cod to turn under,
there is little danger Of running down the
farm. Indeed, if all is judiciously ar
ranged and carried out, the land will con-
stantiy improve.
In concluding, wish especially to urge
the Importance of sowing plaster soon after
seeding. A bushel to the acre often doubles
the crop of clover; and believe there are
few sections where it WON'T pay cost, and
often many times over on oil grasses. F.