Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-06-16
Best Uso of Clover,

A practical farmer recently stated
at a club meeting that . clover crop,
moderately pastured, fertilized the
soil more than it would if allowed
to go down on the ground, being
neither pastured nor mown. This
is question worth considering, and
we think the opinion given crrone-
Gus.
Stock, pasturing in clover field,
if the growth be rank, usually crop
the knobs and poor places quite
bare, and avoid the coarser heritage
growing in the hollows and rich
spots. Thus, where the clover is
most needed for enriching the soil,
it is taken from it, and no compen-
sating amount of manure is left in
its place.
Let us see how clover enriches
the soil. First, it is plant that de-
riyes a large portion Of its materials
from the air, and, compared with
the cereals, impoverishes the soil
but little, even when the growth
above ground is wholly removed
But, if none of the growth be taken
from the field, the clover returns to
the soil, in its decay, what it has
taken from it for its formation, and,
in addition, that which it has re-
ceived from the atmosphere. BY so
much as it has absorbed from the
air and Incorporated in its roots
stems and leaves-will the plant
food in the soil be increased, if the
entire growth be returned to the
earth.
But the clover crop is beneficial
ina mechanical way, also. It's roots
naturally penetrate decply-go down
into the sub-soil, where they gather
plant food and transfer it to the up
per portions, as the stems, leaves
and the thick fleshy roots just below
the surface of the ground. Thus,
by the clover, is the enriching mat
ter of the subsoil transferred large
ly to the top-soil, where it is availa-
BILE for succeeding crops. The sub
soil is likewise loosencd, some veg
.ctable matter carried down into it,
and thus made more inviting for the
roots of other and succeeding crops.
If the clover plant is not cut or fed
off, but allowed to retain its full
growth, its roots become larger and
strike deeper into the soil; if it is
grazed close, or frequently mown,
the growth Of roots will be nearly
in proportion to the growth of the
branches. They will not be strong
and large, penetrating deeply, but
fibrous and spreading through the
top-soil.
The shading of the soil given by
clover that is not grazed is also
highly beneficial. Every practical
farmer knows that if his field is kept
moist, cool, shaded from the sum
mer sun, and protected from the dry
ing winds, it is far better than if
laid bare by close grazing. The
soil grows fertile under the shelter:
it accumnlates nitrogen; it plows up
loose and fine; it yields better crops.
It is generally a necessity with the
farmer to pasture his clover fields.
to some extent, at least; but when
his ign is to enrich his land as
much as possible with the clover,
he had better not pasture at all, but
roll down the clover when in fill
blossom, and let the second growth
spring up, and also 60 down on the
field. One year of such manage
ment is worth two Of pasturing.
When fall grain is to be sown, of
course the best way is to pillow I'M
der the clover crop, as everything
is then saved to the soil. When the
field is not to be plowed until spring,
and the stems and leaves of the clio
yer die, the washing Of the rains
extracts some of the salts they con-
tain. This would be a waste if the
earth did not absorb them at once
from the water, and some writers
have claimed there is large waste
in this manner, not considering that
the water runs from a field with diff
ficulty, chat is covered with a coat
of dead clover stalks, and the soil
takes mp all its fortilixing elements.
BY evaporation there is little or no
was;c.-.imeri,.op Rua"l Uomr.