Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-05-18
FARM and HOUSEHOLD.
TIMOTHY AND Red CLOVER.
TIMELY HINTS ABOUT THE TWO
GREAT FORAGE CROPS OF
THE COUNTRY.


Timothy may properly be placed
at the head ofall the meadow plants
for producing hay of the finest
quality. 1t is perennial in charac-
ter, and when well established lasts
several years without the necessity
Of blowing up and reseediug. Tim
othy, however, is not a good pas
ture grass, from the tact that 1t
will not bear close cropping as well
as many others. Its chief excel
lence consists in its production Of
hay of the purest and finest quality
for all general purposes, and espe-
cially for horses, in which it has no
rival. Wherever timothy flourishes
it is univ ersally preferred for hay
and sells for the highest price.
Timothy is best adapted to a
partially moist peaty or clayey soil,
and does not thrive so we'll on light,
sandy lands. When sewn alone
half bushel OF seed to the acre is
the rule; it may be sown in either
spring or fall, but autumn SOW
ing Is the more common prac-
tice. 1t is advised to SOW seed not
more than one year old.
A good way to test the vitality
of the seed is to sprinkle some on
a hot fire shovel, when, if it mostly
burns up without lively popping
II should be rejected. Another
good way to test not only timothy
seed, but the seeds of other grasses,
is to SOW little in a box of fine
earth and keep it warm and damp
a few days until their character Is
determined. Growing the crop for
its seed is quite common in the
western states, and Chicago is the
leading primary market.
Although red clover is not,
strictly speaking, grass, no true
grass is entitled to higher rank
unless 1t be timothy ; and, indeed
If we were wholly restricted to the
use of only one of the two, 1t
would be a difficult matter TO say
which the country could best spare.
The great value of clover as a ma
nurial plant and renOvatOr Of worn
out soils fully makes up for any
deficiency it may have as hay for
horses. For cattle, especially COWS
in milk, where its dusty character
rs not especially Objectionable, it is
usually preferred to timothy.
Botanists claim that there are
more than 100 species of clover, but
waited, and of these the common
red clover (trifolum prateuse) is
the species must generally in use,
aud for general purposes is the best
of all. Ii is easily grown on every
properly drained soil. Soils too
much exhausted OF too poor to
AFFORD clover its nutIiment natural
~, with the addition of a dressing
Of harvard manure 10 give 1t a
foot hold, will, by its persistent
use, be brought up to a condition
OF fertility, beyond any that can
De obtained from sowing any Of
the natural grasses.
In furnishing vegetable mod
and changing hard, compact soils
Tor the better, red clover is wholly
unexcelled. 1t Is one of the most
important crops for sOlling on ac-
count Of its rapid, early growth
and the large amount of excellent
green food grown On an acre.
Care must be observed when
pastunng red clover while wet
with dew or rain, as cattle are like
w to eat enough of it to cause
bloating, whic h not unfrequently
results in the death of the animal.
7, is, in fact, unsafe at any time to
turn cattle when hungry into a
large growth of clover and permit
them to eat their fill. OF course
when it has become partially crop
ped, and the cattle are accustomed
TO it, they may be allowed to Craze
no will. Red clover is not really
pasture plant, aud its best results
are realiz ed by sOiling or cutting
for hay and seed. A very usual
plan is to SOW clover in the spring,
using from II to 20 pounds of seed
to the acre, according as the soil
may be loan or CLAW.
Clover ought to be cut as soon
as the blossoms assume brOwnish
hue and the swath should lie until
well wilted, when it must be turn.
cd over, but not sea tered or
spread, and when sufficiently dry
be- taken TO the barn. Glover is
more liable to be damaged by rain
than Is either timothy or red top,
hence care should be observed to
protect it from storms.
Half a bushel of salt to the ton
of hay is often sown upon the NOW,
when clover is housed IN green
state. Its proper place in the
order Of value as "a farm product is
generally thought to be between
timothy and blue grass. Glover
seed when kept unchanged will Te-
tain its vitality for many years.