The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-12-17
The Farm.
THE MERITS OF ALSIK E
CLOVER.

Will it Pay Farmers to R aise it?
About 20 years ago bought my first
alsike clover seed, aud sowed it alone
Cd the south side {, "a hill. The season
was dry, and it grew MY about foot
high; and as 1t was said the frst crop
produced ,he seed | cut it for seed and
felt disappointed at getting 81 little tnat
[ was read " to pronounce it a humbug
and plowcd it up the same fall. Some
years aiterward | saw IA bushcl of seed
at the Dane County Fair, at Madison
I iuqc'tcd OF the owner, Mr.. Wood
ward how he liked it, and if it was
profitable crop. He said he got four
bushels Of seed per acre, and sold it at
SO per bashel; that the hay, after be.
ing hulcd, was better than the best red
clover hay, and that his cattle ate it in
preference 10 any other hay bought
two bushels of thes and sowed abou'
enc hushcl to twelve acres. mixing one.
third timothy, by measure, where l
wanted it for pasture or hay, and about
the same qnoutity OF pure alsike where
wanted it for seed. 1t does not raise
seed the same year it is sown bar, like
r,d clover, the next year. have sowD
it with wheat, barley. and oats 1t does
best with spring wheat or barley
I hulled 10 bushels this year from
20 acres, l expect to get 500 per
bushel. and have at least % tons Of
good hay, after hulling, worth enough
to pay all expenses Of cutting and hull.
ing. Some years ago sold my whole
crop on the Board of Trade in Chicago
for 81 LOO per bushel.
Mr.. George Harding, of Waukesha,
breeder of Cotswo!d sheep aud short.
horn cattle, and one of Wi>consin's
most wide-awake farmers, showed me
a small field OF one of his neighbors
that he said produced seven bushels of
alsike seed per acre, and that he sold it
in Milwaukee for Sl2 10 per bushel
have 50 acres in alske; and so long as
it pays ue as well as it has done, will
SOW it.
The first crop the next year after SOW
ing is the seed crop. 1t can be cut for
seed for several years. 1t is not BIZ
ennial plant like red clover, but per
eunial. 1t has one tap root with many
Branches, and does not heave up by
frost, like red clover, which has but
one tap root.
| prefer it to red clover for several
reasons. When sown with timothy it
natures with timothy. medium red
clover natures before timothy is fit to
out,) L cut about the 10th to 18th Of
July; red clover should be cut (here)
about the 2Oth of June. Alsike is not
easily injured by dew or light rains
after helng cut 1t has none of the
''fuzz' that red clover has, making it
so unpleasant to handle as hay or seed +.
The stem is not so coarse nor 81 hollow
and has more br ,nchps, leaves. and
blossoms The blossom is of pink
color Red clover must be cut When
we are in the busiest time working our
corn. Alsike is cut after corn work is
over. This is of great advantage in a
corn rcylnn
Al''ke makes good fall pasture
after the SEED is cut. My stock will
eat it in preference to red clover, tim
othy, or blue grass Blue grass, or, as
it is often called m this country, June
grass, is a good early and late grass.
but in midsummer it dries up; and had
it not been for clover we should have
been badly off for pasture this dry year.
Hon. MATT ANDERSON,
Dane Co, Wis, in St. Paul, Mnn.,
Farmer.