Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-05-18
The Value of Clover.


Glover is crop, which has rather
more intrinsic value than any other
product of the farm. 1t can be appro-
priated to three very valuable pur-
poses. First, for pasture and hay to
feed to stock; second. to plow under
to improve and fertilize the land and
third, to raise seed and fill the purse.
If intended for pasture, turn in the
stock about the first of May, or when
the ground is firm, so that the cattle
will not indent the soil with their feet
At that time the growth will be enough
advanced to enable the cattle to thrive,
and if it is the design to raise seed, the
cattle can remain on the grass till the
18th or Goth of June, and it will be
we'll to have the clover cropped pretty
close at this time, as it will give the
second crop more ample chance to
grow, and mature the seed.
When a crop of hay is intended to
be made, and the after crop to be left
to go to seed, the grass for hay, as a
rule, should be cut some days earlier;
though there be some disadvantage in
drying the hay, the loss will likely be
more than made up by the increase of
seed, the first crop had better remain
standing till the clover blossoms have
become partially brown. 1t will rem
der into hay more readily, and there
will be less danger in curing on ac-
count of the weather, and the food
will be relished by the stock equally
as we'll, if not better than when cut
greener and in slippery state.
ho - - h.
improvement of soil, the half has not
been said or told Iii keeping up the
fertility of lands, there is no crop that
can be raised on the farm that is equal
to clover, because if properly secured
the hay is the best feed for stock, anC
for heavy soil it is the best plant tha
can be raised to plow under to make
the ground loose and rich. Lime anC
clover should go hand in hand, in tht
ways and means to ameliorate the soil
and together, with the aid of othel
special fertilizers. it will go a grea
way toward supplying the defcienc.
of animal manure.
Glover, to have the best effect in i'm
| proving soil, should be plowed unde
: after most of the blossoms have be
ter will not be so abundant, as t.
create sour mould when buried unde
f the earth. But in all stages of it
5 growth, clover turned under or left t.
rot on the surface, is the cheapest fer
tilizing substance that grows.
s The best time to SOW clover seed, i
e when the snow is on the ground, some
: time in the month of March, and tn
i best plan to SOW it is to take pair c
: horses and a sled, fix piece of timbe
S twenty five feet long across the rea
e end of the sled the center of the scan
e ling or timber to be in the center {
: the sled, then fasten chains to eac
1t end of the piece and one in the ccnte
e to drag in the snow to mark off land
n twelve feet wide, by which to SOW tt
}. seed, two casts to each land.
IS Marking out the lands or belts
l. best done by using poles. Set IL
le first range of poles thirty-four fe
le from the fence, and the other rang
he thirty-siX feet apart, which if ri
I'd straight will make the lands all ur
l. formly twelve feet wide, and evel
s. bout with the sled will mark of thr
he lands. Boys or men can sow clov
is seed much evener on a coat of snC
he than they can on the bare ground,
"a cause on the snow they can see he
til they are sowing, and how and whe
,at the seeds fall. Six quarts of clON
seed by most farmers, Is consider
NJ ample for an acre but if sown pl