The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-03-06
How and when 20 Sow Clover.

F. P. Root, of Sweden, New York,
writes on this subject to the Rural
Home. as follows Experience has
taught me that seeding on spring grain
is very unreliable. The season is too
far advanced before spring grains can
be sovn to make clover seeding safe,
aud on lands where winter grain can be
grown would never attempt seeding
on any other. Early sowing has prov
ed most successful, and has seldom fail
ed where the land has been ia good
condition. Exhausted soils and lands
DOT well TILED caunot be relied upon
with safety, neither is clover lay turn
ed under and sown to winter grain as
good for seeding as when other crops
hsve interviewed. The best prepare
ton for seeding is when winter grain is
sown following q spring crop, and the
land is we'll titled and clesn. 1t is bet
ter 1.-THE suriace is uneven IS ieft by
the seed drill. And the best time for
sowing is usually in the month OF
March, before the irosts Of spring are
over, and then the freeing and the
thawipg OF the surface will work the
seed into the ground, and the spring
rains will be sure TO bring it up. | know
that sowing thus esrly is objected to by
many farmers, fearing that the late
lrosts OF spring will kill the young
plant; but an not aware that the
plant is ever killed by irosts, though |
have heard this objectioA to early seed
ing. During 3 fe-time, l have often
sown clover in mid-wiuter with good
success sOd We usually see young CO.
yer in spring cone up on the field
where seed had been cat aud shelled
on the ground the fall previous. But
even il we allow that late spring trosts
will sometimes kill the germ, the occas-
ions Of such trosts are so rare that II
is hardly an argument 10 offset against
the dargars from dtouth in late seed
ing.
Seed sown after the ground has be,
come settled and firm will not grow uu-
less several successive rsiny days fol-
low, which may or may not occur After
the seed springs up, the more rapid its
growth the safer it is against early
drouths, aud TO promote this an sppi-
cation OF about ope hundred and fifty
pound. OF gypsum per acre should be
given il, and it should be sown as soon
as possible after toe ground is settled, so
that esrlv rsirs may dissolve and
bring !: into connection 10 lmpart lts
earliest eject 10 the Young clover
Farmers often IA, by sowing plaster
TOO la;e and some object to sowing on
wheat in spring, that It keeps the wheat
green, causiogIt to shrink buI il sown
IN p-oper time it will have no late ef.
fec, on whest. and Will be almost sure
70 ssye the clover. have never known
apy perceptble effect OF plaster or
wheat sowu in spring, after q practice
OF it for more than twenty years. hu,
have always been satisfied o! Ia great
benefit 10 the young clover.
The amount Of sect necessary to he
sown per acre TO insure good seedio z
is az I'm portsut inquiry, and q point on
which farmers widely differ. Ten
pounds OF good seed per sc:e ia cuff
cisut to cover the ground well il evenly
sowu, and all grove. aud twice that
amount 10 no better i it tails TO come.
Care is necessary 10 have the seed even
/ ly sown, just as important So the SOW
ing OF grain, though it ia Often heed
lessv done, some portions OF the ground
otep receiving no seed, and other por-
tons O double qusnltity The OPERATOR
Of haud-.owing is quite difficult, and
none but an experienced hand can dis
tribute the seed evenly. The clover
sowing machine is 8 great improve.
neo, in the per eclioa OF work. as well
| il toe saving Of lsbo- The machine is
cheap, simple thing, but Of much utll'