The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-02-10
When to Sow Timothy and Glover

Among farmers, there is n diversity of opinion
as to the best time to sow timothy and clover
One has certain day in September, another in
February, and still another when the moon is so
and so. Such thing, depending so much, as it
docs, on the season, should lie governed by conf
mon sense, and not by signs, whims, and le-
geuds. Autumn, if your ground is not too rough
is preferable TO spring sowing, for several rea-
sons. If you have partial or complete failure
You can re-sOw, which You cannot do, if You SOW
IN February or March. The young shoots will
stand dry weather much better, and are not 80
liable to be smOthered by heavy grain. Your
first crop will be much heavier than if sown in
the spring; and should your grain be thin on
the ground, will make the straw much better for
stock. Yet the best catch ever saw was sown
the first week in March, but had it not been an
extra season, would have all died during July
and August, as il often does.
If s0wn in autumn, the 18th of SeptemLer il a
good time, as the young shoots will get a good
start before winter, and will not be 50 liable to
be winter-killed, if sown later. II sown in
the spring, from the 10th of February to the 10th
of March, is good time Sow on the frozen
ground, If you possibly can, that tie seed will
sink into the soil, when there is flaw, before
heavy rain comes. or yOur seed will all be car
ried of As To quantity, that depends upon the
condition and quality of the seed and soil. On
good soil, good seed will SOW one acre to half
peck, but on poor soil and bad seed the quantity
should be doubled.
In sowing clover, one should be governed by
the season. Any time after it quits freezing and
there is no danger of heavy frosts, is good time
TO SOW 1t. Clover, sown after the 18th of April,
is apt TO be summer-killed, of dry seasons As
to quantity, one peck to the acre il enough,
though in sowing the Sapling less quantity is
needed than in the common, or small variety
One Of the great reasons why so many farmers
fail to get good sets in timothy and clover is on
account of the bad seed they SOW. Take two
thirds OF the seed that is sold in the Cincinnati
market, and You will find that from ten to fifty
per cent. of the seeds will not grow. Either the
heads were too green when cut, OF they have
heated IN the shock or barn, so that the vitality
of the seeds is destroyed. Seeds which are fully
developed, and have vitality, have n metallic
appearance, and not that dead and shriveled
look of the dead seeds. These seeds are hard TO
he seen by the naked eye, and hence farmer
purchasing seed should have a microscope of ten
to twenty diameters. By the aid of one of these
they could not only be able to detect bad seed
but also see If there are any seeds Of noxious
weeds IN 1t. There are farms in Clermont COun-
~, to-day, which have been ruined by the ill.,
PRODUCTION of noxious weeds, through the medi-
um of timothy and clover seed. Sorrel, plan
tain, and a score of others, have ruined what
were once good meadows and pastures. If you
will notice half of the clover seed in the market
you will lind from 5 to 40 per cent. of the seed
are cracked, and hence will not terminate
Farmers should read and experiment more in
this particular, and in all other things pertain
ing to the farm, if they wish to he prosperous,
respected, and have voice in the councils Of the
nation.