The Portland daily press., 1874-09-11
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
On the Value of Glover.


A correspondent of the Germanto,cn Tsle-
graph gives practical and definite informa-
ton upon that most valuable forage plant,
clover. In packing away. however, for win
ter feed for swine, exclusion from air is more
essential than anything else.
To endeavor to keep wilted clover with
salt under ordinary circumstances, would
require so much salt as to render the clover
practically worthless. Brewers grains, beet
tops, clover and other juicy substances may
be successfully kept in pits for long periods,
if it be so firmly packed and thereafter COW
cred with earth or other material as to ex-
clude the air. The vinous fermentation is
all that takes place and this is an advantage
rather than detriment. Upon the subject
of clover, the correspondent says:
There is no crop raised on the farm which
tends more to the improvement of the soil
than clover, and as a. forage crop it is equal
TO any other crop under cultivation. Though
1t IS more difficult to make into hay than
timothy or hsrd's grass, yet il any part is
lost IN making and gathering the clover hay
the soil will receive the enrichng deposit.
Clover will grow in almost any soil which is
not too wet. hut its favorite is deep sandy
loan, in which the long tap-root can pene-
trate deep down. 1t borrows mere OF its
growth from .he atmosphere than most other
crops The tap-root draws most OF its nour-
ishment from the subsoi and the tops ex-
tract largely from the dew and the atmos-
phere, thereby greatly enriching the surface
soil for wheat and timothys A good crop of
clover la full blossom, tops and roots, will
sum up in weight between eight and ten
tons OF green vegetable matter per acre to
plow under to enrich and mellow the soil;
and where can be found a cheaper manure to
improve heavy soil? Lime and clover are
the cheapest means by which to enrich the
land for the growth of wheat. Stable ma
nure is decidedly the best, but it is entirely
too dear, and farmers must resort 10 other
means to keep up the fertility of their land.
l have met with much success in raising
clover among oats, but the ground must be
well-cultivated to ensure good growth OF
clover. After the oat crop is sown and well
narrowed, next pass over the field with n
drag to crush The clods and level the ground.
The drag to be six feet long with block
nailed on one of the hind corners under
neath by which every f.bout' will mark off
land twelve feet wide, which is the right
width to SOW clOver-seed at two casts; and
after the clover is sown harrow the ground
to cover the seed.
To sow clover seed on winter grain, March
is the right time when there is snow on the
ground. Take span of horses to sled and
mark the field of in lands proper width to
SOW by; then let the sewers follow the sled.
Clover can be sown much evener on the
snow than otherwise, because you can see
precisely if you are sowing it even or not. In
my opinion clover is underestimate by far
mers, and should be much more in cultivation
than is general. A clover lot near the pig
pen can be cut four or five times during the
summer if not left to go to blossom, and it
makes the most economical feed for swine;
and if it is moved down about the time the
blossom begirs to form and slightly wilted
and tree from dew and moisture and packed
away with sufficient salt, the hogs will relish
it as much in the winter season as cattle, and
it makes good feed for sows and pigs.