Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-03-06
NDARD- McMINNVILLE, TENNESSEE SATURDAY. MAR. g. K
An Interesting Letter,


calle to Mr.. Sam McRamsey, which |
we think will interest all farmers who
read it. 1t is very difficult sometimes,
to get a stand of clover or to Keep it
from dying out after the oats or wheat
is cut in June, especially if the land
is wanting in fertility. Read it:
JACKSON, MISS, Feb. Is, 'S6.
MIR. S. MCRAMsEY,
Dear Sir Your note of January
18th has at last reached me, after fol-
lowing me around for some time. l
am very sorry l can't see you and
talk the matter all over with you
and give you my experience as well
as close observation for ten years.
l will briefly try to explain and an
swer your questions.
Will the Homestead do clover any
good? Yes, ifyour ground is poor
and you want to get a stand. al
ways advise the liberal sowing Of it
on knobs, at the time of sowing in
wheat or oats, or if wheat is already
sown, the first open spell in thespring,
SOW the fertilizer and at same time
harrow well with a Thomas smooth
ing harrow, so as to incorporate in
the ground. After this you can SOW
your clover-but the safest is to SOW
the clover seed on the harrow while
at work. This will insure You astand
unless it iskilled wilhelm the straight
or crook, this is the most dangerous
time for clover to be killed.
Ifyou succeed in getting a good
stand, then the trouble is to keep it
from being killed out by dry and hot
weather. For usually, when the
wheat is cut, the clover being raised
in the shade, it is very tender, and is
often killed in a few weeks after har-
vest-possibly this is the time yours
is killed. In order to obviate this /
would advise the following treatment,
which l have used and seen used with
universal success.
AS soon as the wheat or oats is cut,
say within or 10 days after havest,
SOW broadcast about 100 pounds of
Gypsum or Land Plaster to the acre,
never SOW unless on heavy dew, or
when the clover is wet.
twill do you no good to use the
Homestead or any other commercial
fertilizer only in the ground !; but it is
different with Land Plaster. If you
SOW it on your wheat and young
clover in the spring it will be of some
service also in getting a stand-that
is, will make theclover grow off more
rapidly, but it will not benefit your
wheat much unless your ground is
very deficient in lime. So l say, by
all means use Gypsum. 1t is not a
complete manure, but it draws from
the atmosphere, and in some way
adds greatly 10 the growth of all
plants that feed largely on the atmos.
phere.
| would advise, on knobs where il
is difficult to get stand of clover, not
to cut the wheat or oats in these
places; but to let it shade the young
clover and give back to the land all
that it will make, until you get it re.
stored.
l am glad to hear you speak in such
high terms of the old reliable Home
: stead fertilizer. We shall try and
, merit your good opinion and continue
to make nothing but the best cut o
the best material bone.
There are so many cheap fertilizers
now made in this country and al
claiming to be the best, / am very
much disguised sometimes with the
trade, and am tempted to go home
and stay there.
A fertilizer made from South Caro-
lima rock may analyze just as high az
that made from animal bone. Ant
5 yet, it is the universal verdict of hon
est farmers, who have tried it, tina
the animal bone is actually wortl
double, for this does not injure thu
land-but acid phosphate will injur,
the soil, unless properly managed
which is difficult for farmer who i
! uneducated to do.
!, l hope to see you this spring some
time, and if possible will lecture TO
your farmers at McMinnville or som,
other point where ! can get gooC
crowd. Any other information cal
give, will be free and cheerful, to you