Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-05-08
CLOVER.
10 Value of This Plant as n FertIlixins
Element.

I 10 Value of This Plant as n Fertlllxing
Element.
In those days the long rotation gen.
orally meant system which kept the
land longer in grass. 1t was therefore
regarded rs favorable to fertility. II
really was favorable, for as no com.
mere al malurcs were used it was liter.
ally true that "the more grass the more
manure and the larger crops were q
leressaty sequence. Even th,n good
farmers recognized the fact that il 4
'norter rotation were possible, it would
&c better Tor promoting fertility. The
larger part Of the gam from keeping
aud in grass is made during the first
and second years OF its growth. a two,
ycar-old sod furnishes nearly rs much
fertilizing material as it ever will more
than it will after four or five years,
when the valuable grasses run out and
the surface is bare or covered by weeds.
If clover is sOwn. and in Il short rota.
tioa it generally will be, the sod is
worth more for pIoughing uuder, after
| WV lSdlS SlONbis lIlull IL tNCI VIII IG
again. Clover is Biennial. 1t dies out
after two wears, and unless timothy is
sown with it the space it occupies will
be filled with thistle; or weeds. Eve !
If the land is seeded with timothy the
sod is worth less for ploughing Under
than it would have been with clover the
year before.
The encouragement which approved
harvesting machinery gave to the SOW
ing of clover has to larsc extent offset
the undoubted effect Of heavy Craiu-
cropping to decrease fertility; clover is
Sncn II renovatIng crop that where it is
sown as often as possible the soil can
scarcely become sterill-that is, soil
which has not been previously so impov.
eriShcd that clover will not grow. Many
good farmers believe that with clover
and phoSphates they can ma ntain the
fertility OF their soil forever. fine ha,
not vet shown their m stake. If there
is any, do not bel eve the present gen.
GRAFTON of farmers in this sect on will
live to see it. The clover roots pene-
trate the subsoil and bring up mineral
fertility, while it is probable that either
the leaves themselves or the mulch
which they make enables the soil to
use some of the atmospheric nitrogen.
At all events the practical test is undis.
puted that growth of clover on any
ield leaves the soil better for any after
crop, however the clover may be used
But with commerce. al manures on soils
well adapted to their use there is a gen.
eral desire to crop with grain mere
heavily, and to sow clover more spar.
ingly. 1t is in this way. and this only
that the commercial fert ,lizerS are some.
times used to decrease rather than in
crease soil fertility. Phosphate is ma
nure, as much so. and as valuable fol
maintaining fertility in the concentrated
form of the commercial fertilizer as
when it is applied more diluted in the
heavy loads OF Goa Sc, strawy manure
from the barn,a'd The great differ
ence is that in its concentrated form
and especially as uSu,ly drilled in with
the seed, the greater part of its benefit
is absorbed by the crop 10 which it il
applied. Enough, however, always re
mains unused to make a heavy growth
of clover aad generally 10 insure q
good ca. Oh. I clover we're alway,
sown with grain to-which phosphate i,
applied, the land would necessarily al
ways improve in fertility, so long q
least as clover will succeed. ~ Y. En-.
'anliner. ... ..a