Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-05-27
Clover as q Green Fertilizer.

In the history OF Tennessee farming
that work alone will not succeed. Tn.
der the old and usual modes OF farming
our lands have been so much exhausted
that we cannot, by industry alone,
produce the paying crops that our
fathers did many years. ago. While
industry is indispensable, we must think
little more read little more, and
study well the nature and character of
our soil, and learn if possible the short
est and surest way to restore it to its
natural fertility.
Before we can hope to do much in
the way of profitable farming, we must
adopt the plan of sowing more grasses,
peas, and other crops that we can turn
UNDER and grow less corn. A large
percentage of our lands are too poor to
produce profitable corn crops, and COM
nercial fertilizers are too expensive to
use extensively, especially when we
can grow and turn under green fertil-
lzers, such as clover, peas and other
green crops.
By adopting a judicious system of
alternating clover and wheat, we be-
lleve we can not only restore our worn
out lands but can make our crops profit
able from the beginning. If our lands
are too poor to grow clover, we must
apply fertilizers as far as we can from
the barnyard. Sow and turn under
green peas, and if necessary, use the
best commercial fertilizers until we can
get clover to catch, and then we may
begin our judicious system of alternat-
ing clover and wheat A good way to
begin is to SOW oats and clover in the
spring Cor clover alone) and gather the
oats when mature, and let the young
clover grow, keeping all stock off of it.
If the seasons are favorable, the next
year a good crop of hay can be gath
cred. When the second crop has
grown up and the seeds are well ma
tured turn under, plo,cing deep, and
harrow well, and at proper time sow
wheat with drill and roll the ground
well, so as to leave it in good condition
for the reaper and mower. The wheat
put in in this way is almost sure to pro-
duce good crop, and another fine crop
Of clover will follow in regular rota.
ton, which can be managed as the pre-
viOus crop.
In this way you may go on and re-
celve every year a paying crop and
your lands continue to improve in fer
ility. There is no other green fertili,
ger, in our opinion, equal to clover,
and no other that will reproduce OF
seed itself Every other green fertii,
ger must be sown every year, while
clover may be made to perpetuate it.
self by blowing under the second crop
after the seeds are mature. Another
advantage clover has over all other
green fertilizers it sends its roots fal
down into the subsoil and brings up
to the surface soil the nitrates and
other fertile elements which no other
plant can reach, while the foliage draws
largely the fertilizing properties of the
atmosphere. concentrating all within
reach of the roots Of the wheat crOr
which may follow. 1t is well known
TO farmers that wheat grows better
after clover than after any other crop
The clover prepares the soil for the
wheat by concentrating the nitrates o.
the subsoil and of the atmosphere with
in the reach of the roots of the whea
crop.
We will not attempt at this writing
to give our readers the chemical pro
cess by which clover prepares the sol
for wheat, but simply state that all au
thorities agree that clover prepares the
soil for wheat better than any othel
crop. This being true, should we no
give it trial at least by alternating
our crops with clover and wheat anC
grow less corn? This idea is not new
or speculative. We have seen it veri
fed near our own town. The late Mr.
Thos. Almond, who was one of oul
best and most successful farmers, farmeC
/ in this way, and those who saw hi
. wheat and clover fields and the crop
5 harvested therefrom can testify to tn,
truth of our statement.
Clover and wheat should constitute
r our principal crops, at least until on
lands are restored to fertility. In thi