Omaha daily bee., 1883-07-06

Concerning Glover.
Glover of any variety seldom attracts
much attention in u portion of country
that has recently been settled. 1t isgcn-
orally introduced after crops of grain be-
gin to fail and n need is felt for more fer.
tiliaing material than the manure heap
can supply. Red clover was not intro
duced into England till the soil had lost
much of its fertility by continual crop
pings. 1t Immediately produced II revo-
luton in agriculture. Its first result was
to increase the amount of stock food. 1t
was soon found that its growth prepared
the soil for n crop of wheat. 1t now
forms a part of every system of rotation
practiced i'll the country. As n forage
crop it supplies much of the food
eaten by sheep, hogs, and cattle.
It's highest use, however, is rs "a reno
vator of the soil. Its abundant
foliage casts a dense shade, whichrenders
the soil beneath it permanently moist.
Its roots penetrate the earth to a great
distance, p~ulverize the hard soil and
bring near the surface the mineral salts
that lie beneath the reach of the pillow.
Even if all the stalks and foliage are re-
moved from the soil, the roots afford "A
large amount of fertilizing material.
Clover is more difficult to cut and cure
for hay than most kinds of grass are.
owing to it's liability to lodge. To obvi-
ate this trouble as far rs possible it
should be cut as soon rs it is in full bios
som. 1t is much easier to cnt II field of
clover twice when the stalks stand up
right than once when they are lodged.
Lodged clover is not only difficult to cut
and cure, but poor for feeding purposes.
The leaves are likely to fall off and the
blossoms to become blackened or muldy.
Clever hay, to be relished by stock,
should be bright and fragrant. For
sheep and young cattle it has no superior.
Glover is an excellent pasture plat, but
care must be taken with its treatment.
Stock should not be turned into II clover
pasture early in the spring, while the
ground is soft andthe plants small. When
animals are turned from dry hay into a
pasture of clover that is immature they
are likely to suffer from the change. If
stock is turned into II clover pasture
quite early in the spring it should be only
for a few hours ut IA time. Discretion
should also be observed about turning
animals into II clover pasture at any sea-
son of the year. Frequent cases of bloat
or haven occur from cattle eating too
much clover after they have been in IA
scant pasture, II been kept for some time
principally on dry food. Animals are
not likely to suffer from eating too much
clover when it is distributed among TIM
othy and other grasses. If red clover is
cut rs soon as it is in full blossom the
second crop is often as valuable asthe first
one. If there is scarcity of food for winter
it may be cut and cured for hay. 1t is
generally less difficult to secure the second
crop than the first, as the weather is
more likely to be favorable. 1t pays to
allow the second crop to ripen, and to
cut it for seed. Take the seasons rs they
go, few crops pay better than clover seed.
The second crop of red clover furnishes
excellent pasturage. Sheep and cattle
lay on fat very fast when allowed the run
of II clover pasture during the early part
of the fall. A Wisconsin farmer who
was very successful with sheep declared
that two acres of clover, the first T.
being cured for hay, were as valuable for
producing fat as an acre of corn. His
IN dCtltc was W SoN Idllu- pllSttI ou Unt
clover as soon as the first crop was cut,
and to turn the sheep on when the plants
had attained a good growth and were
nearly ready to blossom. At first he
allowed them the run of the field but one
hour i'll the day.
Glover of all kinds is likely to fail or do
inditferently well on soil deficient in lime.
Quick lime, that has been air or wa
ter slaked, pulverized limestone and
lime plaster, which is a sulphate Of lime
are all excellent fertilizers for clover.
Some varieties of clover will do well on
any kind of soil, providing it contains a
sufficient amount of lime in'some form.
The common red clover is best adapted to
soils that are moderately high and dry,
or somewhat low grounds that are well
drained. The Alsike, or Swedish, clover
does best on tolerably moist land. 1t
makes a superior hay and the stalks.
are not as likely 10 lodge as are those OF
red clover. 1t is a more hardy plant and
better adapted toa high latitude. White
clover requires IA soil tolerably dry and
well drained. 1t fourishes well on bro
ken ground and on hill sides. 1t will
cover the sides of the road entertainments
and will preserve them from washing.
Once introduced, it will remain in the
soil for a generation. 4 few seeds drop
ped IN favorable locations, on small pieces
of turf carefully transplanted, will be the
means Of introducing white clover with
very little trouble on expense. A single
plant will spread over a considerable
extent Of ground, Sheep
relish white clover better than almost any
forage plant that grows. 1t affords a
large amount OF the choicest honey, and
is consequently in high esteem among
bee-keepers. Hogs can be kept cheaper
on common red or mammoth red clover
than on any food the farmer can produce
One acre in clover will keep five medium
sized hogs during nearly five months Of
the year. A clover pasture that has
been occupied by hogs will rarely fail to
produce a splendid crop of corn. The
lrODDinOg of the bo1g and the clnvar