Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-03-25

untll us ToOIS grow ueep eHouSu W
support it and withstand drouth,
which it gets from the grain, and
without it would fail to make good
stand.
Glover exhibits so many direct
relations to the growth of vegetation
and to tue wants and comforts of
man, why may we not look forward
to the time when clover will precede
and follow every crop, and when all
uncultivated lands will be sown with
clover!
Glover is the foundation of sue
cessful farming. There is no other
source of keeping up the fertility of
the soils of our farms with so small a
cost. Hence any and all information
in regard to the successful cultivation
of this forage plant and fertilizer is
valuable to every tiller of the soil.
1t requires large amount of top
dressing to supply the demands made
by our broad fields and the question
of supply is always very impor-
tant one. AS substitute for top
dressing, many bring up the fertility
of their lands by sowing to clover
and turning under the crop, and ex-
perience has shown that it answers
the purpose admirably.
The advantages of clover for pas
ture, for hay, and as fertilizer are
becoming year by year, better known
and appreciated by the agricultural
community. The requirements of
grain producing farms are that they
shall have such elements as will
maintain their productiveness with
the greatest economy. Glover is that
acknowledged element and is fast
taking its place as regular farm
crop.
There are many of the soluble fer
tilizing properties of plant growth
that leach down with the rains into
the deep sub-soil. 1t is necessary
that these should be brought to the
surface to the vitalizing action of
light and heat. This is accomplished
by the long, penetrating tap-roots of
clover, which go down branching in
every direction, loosening the earth,
taking up the soluble mineral ele-
ments.
American clover. has been in
troduced into Germany in quantities,
but complaints are made that, on
account of its not being we'll cleans
ed, it does not bear comparison with
the French and other European seed.
The quality of the American seed is
equally good and the prices rs low as
the European, but the difference in
cleaning makes n difference of about
S2.40 per centner in favor of the
European seed.
Rough new land should be subdued
by the use of large (some call it
English) clover. Nothing so effect
ually rots out stumps and kills weeds
and sprouts, and prepares the land
for the plow and good paying crops.
Wild, new lands should always have
it sown on the first grain crop down.
Ii saves vast amount of labor, for
in a few years it so tames the ground
and clears it Of enemies to the pillow
that it works like old ground, and is
good for full crops.
The idea that clover is necessarily
short.lived crop, and should be
turned under in year or two after
sowing, is most erroneous one.
No opinion could be more erroneous.
This debars you from its use as food
for stock, and the growth of roots is
cut short, source of much of the
benefit coming from cultivation OF
the crop. Therefore we attribute
more value to it as a crop for graz.
ing and soiling, and as a means oi
reinvigorating tired lands, rendering
tough clays porous, and thin lands
vigorous and productive.
The best way to get clover mead.
ows or pastures Is to SOW rye early
in August or September, the earlier
the better. This will supply fall and
spring pastures for stock. In the
spring SOW the clover seed, and har.
row in thoroughly both ways. 1t il
mistake to suppose it is best to
leave the seed on top of the ground
which has been hardened by fall and
spring storms. The harrow will
cover the clover just deep enough
and it will cultivate the rye, so as tc
produce a heavy crop. Either clov
er or timothy makes better start in
rye'than any other grain.
Glover to pay you the largest
profit, should be used by grazing ami
mails, yet for those so situated as u
make 1t available in that way, to cut
and feed 1t in the manger in the