Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-30
from the Western Rural
Alsike Glover.

(TRIroLIUM HYBRIDIUM PERENNIAL.)
Having had many inquiries from farm
ers and others in regard to the honey End
butter producing qualities ofthis vegetable,
will give through the columns Of the
Western Rural (by the way paper thai
every Western farmer should take and
carefully read) my experience Of three
wears, in regard 10 the great value of this
plant to all farmers whose soils are adapt
ed to its full development My own
observations and statements from other
reliable sources, ge far TO prove its value
Alsike clover is not adapted to light
sandy or sandy and gravelly soils, with
porous or leach subsoils. With good clay
subsoil, it succeeds better. But it luxura
ties in rich, thoroughly worked clay loan
soils, rich bottom lands, prairie, and all
marsh or swamp lands where they can be
ploughed SO as to kill the wild grasses.
Flowing through Winter and Spring does
not inlure it. Here it will accept the
situation and display its magnificent pro-
ducts on the scale of five tons of finely cured
hay to the acre. But mark deeply
stirred, rich, moist land, underdrained OF
sub-soiled, or both, will only produce this
burden. The chemical action of plaster
is strikingly manifest on this plant. Bios
SONS are developed more or less when the
plant is from eight to ten inches in height ;
and when three and a half feet, it is per-
feet sea of bloom.
Millions of dollars may be added to the
wealth Of this country, especially the West,
in few years by sowing one acre this
year, and gradually extending its area
For soiing COWS, horses, etc., when past
ures fail, it is equal or superior to green
corn, and attended with less trouble in
the gathering and feeding During the
past year, | cut three crops from the same
ground, standing at the first cutting from
two to three feet in hight, last cutting, one
foot in hight, as thick as it can stand
small delicate stalks, numerous branches
and perfectly glorifed with mass of small
peach-blow oolored blossoms, filling the
air with the most delightful and exhilarat-
ing perfume, and swarming with bees
every fair day. The root is like red
clover, but longer and more ibrous. The
haulm is small, tender, and nutritious
when well cured as it should be, in full
bloom, every spear will be eaten with
avidity by all kinds of stock. There is
no plant known, that will produce SO
much good honey, butter, cheese, beef,
mutton, wool and hay per acre, as this
plant, not even excepting corn. In using
the latter for solling, you get only the
haulm, while in the Alsike you get the
haulm and large yield of honey and if
the ground is prepared as well by deep
filth, manure and plaster. or other fertil-
isers, as for corn, you will get as much
by weight of the haulm. 1t bears feeding
to an enormous degree. I think its fat
tening qualities superior to the famous
blue grass Of Kentucky ; and as it will
flourish we'll on such soils as have de-
signated, from the Gulf to Lake Superior
farmers can easily divine its immense
advantage to their pockets. Beside, the
expense of seeding down" every three
or four years is saved. 1t is great
renovator and disintegrator of hard ten
acious soils. Its long tape roots and
numerous fbers reach deep for its pabu-
lum, and these loosen soil and endure
drought well. Some think there are two
kinds Of this clover. l think not. The
difference in growth, ETC., in diverse To-
calities, is owing to the character of the
soil. / never saw any but the large kind
on land once covered with beech, maple,
oak, bass, liver wood, ETC., never saw
any but the small kind on light sandy,
and gravelly soils, also on pebbly soils
with calcarious debris, and good tenacious
subsoil, is succeeds well. 1t is no humbug
Farmers, try it and report results.-D. H.
Shja@asse County, Mich.