Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-07-11
agricultural department,
From the Rural Carollnian.
CLOVER.


A friend said to me recently, "In limestone
countries clover is sown to enrich land ; in the
Cotton States we have to enrich the land be-
fore we can grow clover"
Ny experience teaches that this is great
mistake. I am convinced that nowhere on
this continent can clover be grown at less ex-
pense and with greater remuneration than on
clay lands of the South, at least as far South
as the latitude of the city of Columbia, S. G.
A detail of few experiments may not be un-
interesting to our readers.
In November, 1867, I sowed eight acres of
old red land in barley and clover, manured
with two hundred pounds of Soluble Pacific
Guano per acre. In June, 1868, reaped one
hundred and forty-fve bushels of barley, and
secured beautiful stand of clover on about
FIVE acres. In May, 1869, twenty-three heavy
two-horse loads of clover hay were housed.
The fall of 1869 was so dry the crop was pas
tured off by cattle and sheep. The Spring of
10, though uncommonly dry, produced fair
crop of clover the fall crop was again grazed
off, Last May moved beautiful crop Of
hay, and in July second cutting was housed
for winter feeding of sheep. In February
1869, the patch was broadcasted with mix
ture of eight bags of Wando and six hundred
pounds plaster.
Last January turned over, with two
horse Monitor plough, all of this twenty-five
acre field, but the FIVE acres we'll set in clover,
and in April planted it in sorghum. The
three acres, upon which there was scatter
ing stand of clover, has had from its first ap-
pearance above ground, infinitely the best
sorghum in the field. And WY? Because
the dead clover, the young clover and the
roots of clover turned under in January, ma
nured the land.
Another experiment. In 1857, sowed a
cow-penned patch Of an acre-and-a-halfin bar
ley and clover, and reported upon this patch
in October and November months, 1869, of
the Rural. In May, 1870, very poor crop
was taken from the patch, and in October
last the young clover was pastured off by
sheep till scarcely vestige was apparently
left. Immediately after the land was turned
over with two-horse Murfee in the same fur
row, and sown in wheat. This land, which
three years ago was clay bank, seemed now
rich, friable, black soil, which I felt sure
would produce wheat crop; but feared the
clover was gone. So after narrowing sowed
the surface with orchard grass seed. The
wheat and grass seemed choked out by as lux
uriant a growth of clover as [ ever saw.
Where the seed came from can't tell, but
the crop is there to show for ITSELF
Third experiment. have stated above
that the crop of the fall of 1869 was pastured.
During this time the cattle and sheep were
housed every night, and their droppings shell
tered until March, 1870, when they were haul
ed out and thrown in furrows upon which
beds were made, and the land planted in cot
ton. This last spring, almost every one of
those beds, :Jr several inches on either side of
the row of cotton stalks, was covered with a
thick growth of clover. Those beds were re-
versed, and the land again planted in cotton
At every working of the crop during the
summer young growth of clover had to be
destroyed.
Fourth experiment. In April, 1870, Sc
lected half acre of good grey land, so thickly
covered with nut grass that the ground could
not be seen, for a sweet potato patch, to test
the power of vines in eradicating nut grass by
their shade. The land was laid off in five
feet spaces, and heavily manured in the
drill with manure from the cow-house, and
bedded upon. In May the slips were set out.
First of July the vines could not be seen for
the nut grass The patch was then thorough
ly ploughed and hoed, and by September
most luxurant growth Of vines and nut grass
covered the land. Last November the vines
were cut and carried off; the potatoes dug the
land ploughed and cross ploughed and about
three pecks of barley narrowed in until the
land was perfectly smooth. Last June fair
crop of barley was harvested, and the stubble
on at least half the patch was, in few days,
perfectly hid by complete growth of clover,
which all the summer kept the nutgrass so in
check that there is not healthy stalk of the
pest to be seen. The first crop is springing up
beautifully. What effect the succeeding
growth of clover will have upon the nut grass
time alone can tell. The experiment, howev-
er, is we'll worth pushing to further test, for
if clover can be made instrumental in destroy
ing nut grass, its value will be increased ten
The only difficulty with clover is securing
stand. have sown it in November in all
kinds of grain, and secured perfect stand.
1 have, at other times, with the very same
practice, been disappointed by a most perfect
failure. I have sown it in February and nev-
er secured perfect stand. Good authority
says it should be sown on well-prepared, clean
land in March, and allowed to battle with
weeds and grass for twelve months without
being trod upon. My judgment is fall SOW
ing on clear land, say in September or Octo-
Der, will ensure quite as good stand, and so
occupy the ground by spring, that contest
with weeds and grass will not be necessary:
At any rate, stand of clover once obtained
need never be lost and is worth more annually
than crop of cotton, could the latter be
grown without work.
D. WYATT AIKEN.