Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-01-12
Value Of Glover as a Fertilt'
ger.

mas Deen cut OF leu OH us paStuA0'
But plowed under green, there Is
scarcely anything in the way OF
vegetation that surpasses it as green
manure.
The fertilizing effect OF clover
sod, according 20 DR., Lawes, is
equal to $50 pounds of nitrate OF
soda to an acre. This estimate,
however, is not high enough, if exc
penments made in Germany by
DR.. Weishe and DR.. Weruncy are
taken as approximately correct,
These show that an average clover
sod leaves in the soil in round num-
bers about 900 pounds Of dry sub
stance, 1000 pounds Of organic
matter, and nearly 1000 pounds Of
ASH, while the phosphoric acid
amounts to 76 pounds,the potash to
50 pounds and the nitrogen to near
ly 200 pounds.
From these and other expert
ments, az well as from the practi-
cal experience Of farmers in this
country as well as in Europe, the
value Of clover as fertilizing crop
IS seen. Joseph Harris--sO wide
ly know as an authority in agricul-
ture-calls clover 'the grand reno
waiting crop OF America and for
the climate and soils Of nearly all
parts Of Ills country. he is right,
Taking into account the amount Of
p'art nutrition that clover leaves
in the soil, when the cropis plowed
under, either III shape of green ma
lure or When the soil is turned
down full Of fibrous roots-which
mo- only add greatly to its fertility
in the way Of manurial matter, but
hive brought up salts from the sub
soil as well as penetrated IN all di
rections and thereby vastly improv-
ed the mechanical condition OF the
l,nd-we can readily discern why
many experienced farmers consid
er clover indispensable in any well
regulated system of husbandry.
But the advantages are still
more. 1t is already in the field
without cost Of hauling or spread
ing, and its distribution is even,uni-
form and perfect. Nor are its effects
ephemeral, for successive crops for
several years attest its quickening
power. For many years 1t has
been relied upon as the main stay OF
numbers of intelligent men who
have made speciality of wheat.
Employed with plaster and sheep
it has been possible for many
Michigan farmers to keep up the
fertility of their lands and annually
obtain average crops, land even
better otwheat. One of these
aman whose methods long since
gave lin the reputation of an in
t.lIigent ard successful farmer
saws lie considers clover of as much
value as a fertilizer as a crop Of
corn is for iattenlng stock and max
ing manure.
The complex action OF clover,
plaster and the droppings Of sheep
in restoring fertility to worn wheat
lands or giving it to those natural
ly deficient, consists in supplying
soluble lime sulphuric tcid-t@O
constituents consumed in large
quantities by clover. These two
elements are contained in plaster
(sulphate of limc,) which is sown
with clover. and also upon the
young plants while they are damp
with dew or after a shower. The
result generally is a luxurian'
growth if a good "catch'' has beer
secured. The plants send dowr
their long tap roots into the subsoil
collect such inorganic matter al
they find there and bring it to the
tie surface. The focks eat tn
green plants and scatter the consti-
tuents Of the clover over the ground
as well as the ammonia formed IL
the urine, and when the clover il
plowed up, all that it has receive
from the subsoil and the air is agar
rendered more or less available fol
plant food by decay, and in thi
way tic surface soil is rendered fer
tile.
1t is said that this is not rea
manuring; that nothing has beer
sunnlied except a little lime ant