Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-04-16
THE HERALD.
FARM TOPICS.
clover-How 1t Enriches the Land.
fFrOn the LIv. Stock JournAl.)


We are afraid Of clover. We are
afraid to raise it largely; afraid to
feed it extensively, especially as a
main feed; and afraid to pillow it un-
der.
This is wrong, very wrong. We
are constantly losing by not grow
ing more clover. Losing in many
respects. Glover, if we could impress
the fact upon the general farmer, is
O plant that draws from the atmos-
phere and enriches the land. Other
plants do this; but clover more. IL
has to do with the most vital and i'm
portant element in manure, nitrogen,
the very thing that is the rarest
and most difficult 10 obtain. Ii i'm
proves the soil by its roots alone, the
crop used for other purposes; this,
even if the seed cropis taken. How
much more benefit then, il whole
crop is turned down, containing so
much nitrogen. And you have the
manure without working for it,
The plant works for itself and for
you. We get it's strength from free
source, the atmosphere, the great
storehouse which gathers from all
sources, but most from the negligent
farmer.
And you can make this plant work
for you on u poor soil, and almost
anywhere. All it needs is o start
A little manure applied on the surface
will do this; and if plenty Of seed is
Bown, there will be thick set. Then
it needs but chance with the at
mosphere, and plaster will aid this
greatly. There will, with warm
showers and winds, be q growth al
most surprising. 1t will be dense,
finer stemmed, and Of fair length, de-
pending somewhat on the season.
But this when it begins to lodge,
will be about the time when the
blossoms appear, and there will be
avoided all rot and mildew, conse-
quent on long, coarse lodging, and
the yield will surprise you-two and
half or three tons, such hay as is
not made from any other plant
And the second crop will be nearly
or quite as good as the first; the
past year it was better-a heavier
yield, on account Of the showers.
Now we have known, and that in
q goodly number Of acres, whore from
ak to eight tons per acre were real
lied in in two cuttings, and q heavy
aftergrowth for protection. And
this hay, fine stemmed, green and
tender, with the fragrance of its stalk
and blossom unimpaired, rushing up
on you as you open the hay, so green
in winter compared with other fod-
der-and this put before cattle,
calves, horses, sheepl Some will OBJ
ject to its use for the horse; but we
have tested this thing and seen it
tested so much, that we know where
Of we speak. "But clover alOne-that
all the while!"
This is the thought that always
presents itself. Farmers are afraid
to feed clover alone, or largely. -
Horsemen are shy, which still fur
Their discourages. Besides, we have
not carefully tested with good clo-
yer hay, green and we'll cured we
feel the hard stuff generally, and
that is worse than ripe timothy or
straw. Who has given green clover
"a thorough test, cut in the full blush
of fragrance, with all its substance
available, including its health-giving
fragrance, who has done this and
noted the effect compared with other
fodder, and for sufficient time, say
for months, or all winter? Very few,
indeed. Can any one who reads this
bring to mind any cases? There are
such, however, and they never go
back to the old dead feed again
They have learned to keep stock
without grain; that expense is saved
them. Now their stock is better al !
things considered, than before; is
stronger, nimbler. healthier, and
there is more milk, and better growth
of young stock. 1t is like keeping
on pasture during the winter-bet-
ter in some respects-there is less
water. Bowels are perfect-In sum
mer often too free, reducing the an
imal. And during tho milking peri
cd, during the Fall and Spring, no
grain is fed, no fodder is cut; there is
full quantity of milk, and it is rich,
making excellent cheese, and largely,
but not so good in flavor for butter
rs is wished. The thing has bee n
as we KNOWS done, aud will be
done more abundantly Why not
now engage in it--at least, test it
fairly
Begin by preparing your ground
well; the better you prepare it the
better will be your crop; if made
quito rich and deeply mellow, fit TO
grow any grain, there will be a cor
responding yield, no loss, and little
or no risk. This is the beauty OF
clover-you may rely upon it unless
you wish to raise 50 ed; then you
must understand your business, the
details of which we have no time
here to point out. But as forage
crop, you are safe ifyou get start, a
good catch; and with plaster,you will
get good yield, not less than four
tons per acre from the two cuttings
there should always be two cut
tings; indeed, it is imperative to good
success, and this will give you the
hay, cut early, in its green, tender
state, aud leave the roots vigoro lie
ADD pushing forward, with a contin>
ustion of the growth for the third
crop, the aftermath, which remains
untouched for protection and start
in the Spring, this growth affording
u large amount of fertilizing material
for the next years growth.
CONNECTICUT ToBAcCo.-A Con
naottaut tnhapnO firm, ia eyninr ~ frv