Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-04-05
AaiIp sitnnebet Yournal.
ALSIKE CLOVER.
A dozen years ago or thereabouts, Score.

Adozen years ago or thereabouts, Score
tary Goodale, learning of the success Of
this clover in Northern Europe, obtained
several pounds of seed. at round price
from Scotland, and distributed it among
the members of the Board of Agriculture
and other farmers, in order that it might
have a fair trial in all parts of the State.
Very little was heard about it from any
Quarter for several years, and it had al
most passed out of mind, when its merits
began to be recognized by a few observ-
s inc farmers. Since then 1T has been
steadily gaining friends.
In January. 1868. CALVIN chamberlain,
ESQ.,, of Foxcroft, presented the following
report to the State Board of Agriculture:
..Alsike clover is a species that reached
this country ten years ago. or more. Its
name is obtained from the parish of Alsike
in Upland, (Sweden.) 1t is found in a
wild state through much of Sweden. also
in Norway and Finland In the present
century it has been introduced into cult
walton through those northern countries,
and is now known as Swedish clover in
England, Scotland, Denmark, Germany
and France. 1t was early distributed to
different parts of this State by the Secre-
tarv of this Board but l fear it fell
generally into the hands of careless men.
Unless it has recently spread in Aroostook
beyond the neighborhood where it was
highly priced some years ago, it has not
vet received much attention anywhere in
Maine. The few seeds received, came
after nv spring seeding, and in looking
for place to plant them, I saw rough
border bv the fence, where | had plowed
= a recently cleared iield--haying set the
fence nearer the wood than could work
the pillow. On this spot | scattered the
seed, and worked the ground little with
hoe.
The clover still holds possession of the
spot; and as the field has now been mown
several years, it has sometimes been cut
in with the hay, in other years cut for
seed.
As an experiment, while seeding field
to grass, sowed one square rod in the
middle with Alsike clover. | cut it for
seed three years in succession, each crop
. being luxuriant one. The grasses then
worked in, but the Alsike was still there
at the last haying-which was think, the
sixth crop.
Last season / had half an acre of clean
Alsike, that attracted much attention from
farmers, many estimating it at one and a
half tons Of hay on the half-acre. / cut it
for seed, and think it would rather exceed
than fall below the estimate. This was on
land that never had received any manure,
except with the barley crop in 1865, when
the clover was sown, and on the clover in
1867, one hundred lbs. of Super-Phos-
phate was sown each year. Having had
an opportunity of observing this clover in
small way and by noting it carefully as
hay and as forage for soiling, can only
conclude that it is plant admirably
adapted to this State, and one possessing
so many excellent qualities as to render it
worthy of special effort to extend its cult
walton. If anything | should say here,
encourages careless farmer to try the
Alsike clover alone for a hay crop, would
have him understand that he had better let
it alone, unless he can give his field so
smooth surface that his scythe or ma
chine can cut low rs the clover. if of any
great weight, is sure to lodge pretty fiat
Compared with the two other clovers
before known to us, the Alsike differs so
rs to disclose to me the following char
acteristcs
LIST, 1t is hardy. more permanent than
the red clover, and retains its hold many
years.
ID 1t branches very much-throws out
many stalks from one root; thus affording
good crop with thin seeding. Indeed,
think it should be sown thin, that the roots
may have room. so as to obtain strength
to strike deep into the subsoil
Sd, 1t bears cropping by cattle well;
thus proving its adaptability to pasturage.
4th, 1t continues longer in condition to
be cut as hay than any other forage plant
that know 1t throws out great num-
ha oh Ic oil into
bloom successfully for month or more.
When the most of the heads are ripe, the
stalks and leaves are still in condition to
make excellent hay. My seed crop has
always made good fodder after the seed
has been threshed off.
9TH, believe it to be the best honey
plant in the world. Much attention has
been given to the habits of the honey-bee
in regard to its choice of flowers, and to
quantity and quality of the honey stored
in different portions of the season. We
often see new plant recommended for
cultivation specially for the bees. l think
bee-keepers now generally agree that the
surplus honey is all, or very nearly all
stored during the bloom of the white
clover. From all other flowers including
buckwheat, but little more is gathered
than is consumed daily. | have for several
years had on my place plat of Alsike
clover beside one of the white. have
often called attention of people to the
working bees on the plats and it was al
ways easy to see that the Alsike had the
greater attraction. Equal areas usually
show twice the number of bees on the
Alsike. The blooming season is longer
on the Alsike. The heads are also more
numerous on that variety. A field of Al
sike clover is the best patronized bee
pasture | have ever seen--eXceeding that
of an orchard in full bloom, | am sure
that, in neighborhood of Alsike clover
fields, bee-keepers would not be searching
for other plants for their use"