Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-02-11
Red Clover.
J. B. KILLEBREw.

the cornerstone Of agriculture, and
this not only on account of its vigorous
vitality, but because it adapts itself to
great variety of soils. 1t is widely |
diffused, and abOunds 10 every part of
Europe, in North America, and even
in Siberia. 1t furnishes an immense
amount of grazing, yields an abun-
dance of nutritious hay, and is a profit |
able crop, considered with reference to
the seed alone. But beyond all these,
it acts as vigorous ameliorator of the
soil, increasing more than any other for
age plant the amount of available nitro
5on, and co beoor10S- ar itnPoTtanC ageuCI
in keeping up the productive capacity
of the soil, increasing the yield of other
crops, and adding to the wealth, refine.
ment and culture of the farmer who
sows it.
SOILS ADAPTED TO IT'S GROWTH.
Red clover is a biennial plant, and
under judicious tillage may be made a
perennial, and specially adapted to
argillaceous soils, but it will grow
well upon sandy soils, when catch
is secured, by the application of top
dressing of gypsum or barn-yard ma.
nure. | have seen it growing with
vigor upon the feldspathic soils of John.
son county, upon the sandstone soils Of
the Cumberland mountain, and upon
the sandy loans of West Tennessee,
hut it finds more congenial soil in the
clayey lands in the valley of East Ten.
nessee, on the red soils of the Highland
Rim, and on the limestone loans of the
Central Basin. But the deep, black,
porous soils of this division are not
suited for clover. Such soils become
very dry in summer, and opens in great
cracks or assures. The clover grows
well enough, but it is apt to be killed
by the dry, hot weather of summer
The clayey lands of West Tennessee
have no superior for the production Of
clover. 1t often grows upon these
lands from four to five feet high, and
forms a mat when il falls, of great den
sty and thickness. AS much as foul
tons of clover hay have been taker
from single acre. There is also ,
soil derived from the Dyestone or Gin
ton formation in East Tennessee tina
grows clover with surprising luxuri
ance. On such soils in McMinn coun
ty, have seen the ordinary red Glove
Elk and half feet in height. Proba
bly, three fourths of the lands in Ter
nessee will grow clover remuneratively
and of the soils which will not, larg
portion is included in the old guile
fields that constitute the shame an
mark the shftlessness of too many {
the farmers. 1t may be set down {
All infallible rule in the State of Tel
nessee, that good farming and abul
dant clovering 60 together.
SOWING CLOVER.
Clover may be sown in the lattitut
of Tennessee upon wheat, rye or O.
fields, or alone. Instances have bee
reported to me where splendid star
was obtained by sowing after guilty
tors in the last working Of corn in Jul
This is unusual, however. So is ia
sowing. The best time to SOW is fro
the first Of January until the first
April. If sown in January or Febr
airy, the seed ought to be sown up
snow. This is not only convenient
enabling one to distribute the Sc
evenly over the land, but the grady
melting of the snow, and the slig
freezes, bury the seed just deep enou
to ensure rapid termination when t
warm days of March come on. +
the same reason, if sown in March,
seed ought to be sown when the grou
is slightly crusted by freeze. If
sowing is deferred until too late
frosty nights, the land should be "
narrowed and the seed sOwn imme
ately after the harrow, Upon la
seeded to wheat, this narrowing v
not on y serve to secure good stand
clover, but will add greatly to the vi
of wheat. 1t will hasten germinat
and cause larger proportion of s
to grow, to harrow the land after
seed is sown. With oats, the Sc
should be sown after the last harrow
or brushing, with a slight after brit
ing to cover them.