The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-03-08
Hints Concerning Clover.

Clover is sOwn, as rule. early in the
spring, whether with some grain crop,
the cultivated grasses or as a crop by
itself. A practice common in the North
ern States is to SOW clover on late SHOWS
in March or April.
The analysis of red clover indicates
what manures will increase its growth.
1t contains from thirty-twO to thirty
four per cent. of lime and about the
same per cent. of potash, with nine to
ten per cent. of phosphoric acid, mag
nesia. etc. AS lime enters so largely
into its composition, lands dencleut in
this respect. require generous applica-
tons of lime. Deficient soils are also
benefited by gypsum (sulphate of lime),
the phCsphates and wood ashes. I ON
mon stable manure, containing as it
does all the elements of a good fertilizer,
is also suitable as a top dressing for any
pasture or meadow.
While gypsum is not always a success
on ordinary soils, sOwn broadcast at the
rate of one to three hundred bushes
after the leaves are developed, it seldom
fails to promote a remarkable growth of
stem and leaves. Experiments made
by DIR. Pincus, of Germany, regarding
the action of gyp~u on clover made it
appear that the sulphatcs check he de-
velopment of the flowers and also of the
seed, from which he inferred that, while
the application of gypsum is favorable
to large increase in the yield of hav.
it is not favorable to the deve lOpment
OF the seed crop. Comm ssiOner Kille-
brew, of Tennessee, says he has rarely
found benefit from the top dressing of
gypsum on clayey loans; its effects have
always been apparent on a strong lime
stone soil. In a dry season gypsum is
undoubtedly beneficial on all soils, and
it always serves a good end its high
ly stimulating effects on well-restored
lands where there Is a good coat of
clover.
Bones are also an invaluable aid to
clOvers, their leading elements being
lime and phOsphOric acid; nitrogen is
also abundant A dressing of bone
dust will often quite restore old pastures
which have been long cropped and the
phosphate of lime exhausted. Grasses
are greatly benefited by wood ashes. A
top-dreSsing of ashes may be applied 10
grass on all kinds of soil with the assur-
ance that they will pay the expense at
tending the application. For perma-
nent moving lands ashes are advised
when they can be obta ned in suf cent
| quantity.
Coarse manures ought not to be
| thrown on clover, as they are liable TO
| iniure the plants An excellent top
| dressing for meadows, to be applied
after the last cutting or in the spring.
/ when the soil is poor. is barn-yard
manure composted with muck. peat.
! leaves sod, potato tops and other per
| ishable egetable matter.
Prof. Levi Stock bridge, of Massachu-
| sets. after a series of experiments with
mineral manures at the Agricultural
/ College at Amherst, prepared the fol-
/ lowing formula for fertilizer to be
/ sown on broadcast-in the early
/ spring to induce an increased yield:
! Nitrogen - pounds; potash, 40pounds,
| and phosphoric acid II pounds. These
materials he advised to be supplied in
| the form of sulphate of ammonia, 81
| per cent. dry salt, 215 pounds; muriate
| potash, so per cent. dry salt, so pounds;
| super phosphates, so pounds. This
amount was designed for one acre.-M
| y World