The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-10-12

Waldo T. Brown is one Of the most
advanced Ohio practical farmers, and
intelligent writers on agriculture.
After discussing the merits Of Mammoth
Glover as fertilizer, he says:
"The Alsike-also called Swedish |
clover-is more permanent in character
than any of the red varieties, and is
sometimes called perennial clover. 1t
has blossom of delicate pink color,
and both plant and blossom are interme.
diate in size between the white and red
clover; it has strong and delightful
odor, and when field of it is in bloom
the air is laden with perfume. This
clover will hold on heavy clay lands
inclined to be wet, where red clover
would usually winter-kill. Like the
mammoth clover, it makes but one crop
in season, but it throws out great
many blossoms from stalk, and con-
tinues in bloom for several weeks; and
when the heads are nearly ripe the
stalks and leaves are still green, and it
will make good hay and also furnish a
crop Of seed. The seed can be threshed
with fail, as it does not need to be
hulled like the red clover. The seed
is very fine and Of green color mixed
with yellow, and as it throws out many
stalks from one root, it should be sown
sparingly. believe three pounds Of
seed to be ample for an acre, and one
Epound to the acre in mixture of seed
for permanent pasture will be suffic
|ient. 1t is claimed to be the best honey
plant in the world, and as its period of
bloom extends from June into August,
lit covers time when other honey
| bearing plants are scarce. Although
it does not yield as large crops as the
red clover, its quality, both green and
cured, is superior, chemical analysis
showing that in the green state it cou-
tains 3.31 pounds more of solid matter
and about 2 pounds more of protein
substances. Bare spots in old pastures
may be renewed by sowing this seed in
early spring. I advise every farmer to
try little Of it.
ITS VALUE AND MANAGEMENT.
| I am about as ardent an advocate OF
clover as friend Terry, although have
managed it somewhat differently. 1 am
not disposed to argue with scientists
when they lift up voice of warning,
lproclaiming that by the continued use
! of clover We are simply acceleratine
the exhaustion Of our soils. 1 simply
look back over fifty years, and make a
note of the fact that the farms of this
locality on which clover has been grown
with the greatest regularity, are to day
the farthest from exhaustion. Glover
is such great help in solving the prob
lem of available plant-food, that be-
lieye it to be work of benevolence to
help in the management oft.
| There is one blunder, almost univer.
lsal, which l believe largely reduces the
value of clover, both for feed, seed and
fertility and this is the almost univer-
sal habit of pasturing young clover as
Il soon as the wheat is out of the field.
do not think it is even wise policy to
pasture for month or six weeks after
harvest, and believe it better to lay
down rule never to pasture the first
fall under any circumstances. This rule
have followed for twenty years, and
fbelieve that have been the gamer by
lit.
How manage the clover depends
on what is to be done with the field the
eusuing year. I have for fifteen years
followed rotation on my best field,
which has given me a crop Of grain or
potatoes each year, with a clover crop
every two years to ploy under; and
where this plan is followed, it is best to
let the clover make all the growth it
can in the fall With the exception OF
one or two seasons of extreme drouth,
have grown ON this land full crops OF
clover, and in two cases good crop OF
seed. I have at this date (Sept, A. a
growth of clover which has entirely
hidden the stubblc, and is coming into
full bloom, and ! have frequently grown
as heavy crops in the fall as l ever saw