The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-05-20
SUCCESS WIN CLOvKR.
a eetsae1oe - Practical Discus
siss-Exs1pses ~ saeeessfu1 Gle
yer Calesvssssa-
tcor. Country Gentleman. |

Cor. Country Gentleman.
An analysis OF clover roots dug from
. square rod Of ground Was made q
Cornell University q few years ago,
from which IL Was estimated that an
acre OF such roots contained nitrogen,
potash and phosphoric acid worth S1s.-
- at market prices. This amount i
about equal 70 what il found in sloIbs.
OF high grade ammoniated phosphate,
and, according to the published opin-
Ion OF Prof. Roberts, il was mostly re-
covered from the sulsoii through the
aid OF the clover, and thus was made
available for the use Of the wheat crop
that followed
This Is q scientific confederation Of
what many careful observers believe to
be true-that the growing Of a clover
crop does not diminish the available
plant food in the soil Although clo-
yer sod IL an excellent preparation for
q corn or potato crop. still il il not ne
cessary 60 plow and cultivate q field in
order 10 receive the benefit Of the de-
caying clover roots.
IL field Is seeded with six quarts at
clover seed and an equal amount Of
timothy, clover will largely predomin-
ate during the first and second years.
Under ordinary management the clo-
yer viii mostly disappear after two
years. and timothy will form the main
crop. The decaying clover roots afford
nourishment 10 the timothy, which in
the two years from seeding has gained
full possession Of the ground, and the
result r. a better crop OF timothy than
would have been obtained the first
year il the field had been sown 10 that
alone. 1t Is also true that the field will
continue to yield n paying crop for as
many years after the decay OF the clo-
yer as il would il no clover had been
sown, that In, the two years of clover
add by 80 much to the length OF time
that meadow may be proiitably cut
for hay.
Very few farmers in this vicinity have
made that extensive use of clover that
the facts above stated would warrant.
and perhaps still less number have
comprehended its great value in agri-
culture. Ii will stand drouth better
than any other forage plant except
corn. Its roots will penetrate the sub
soil and recover plant food otherwise
lost. When cut at the right time and
properly cured. il makes the best hay
hIfpWu iuf uutttT cows ut ttfduuis
from cows kept ON clover Is of far
more value than that obtained when
timothy is fed.
A retired farmer living in our town,
who has made small fortune in dairy
farming. says that he credits the clover
plant with 5000 of his aecumulations.
His rule for seeding during many years
was II lbs. of clover and Il lbs. of tim
othy to the acre. The growing clover
was plastered at the rate OF two bush
els To the acre. Housed to the amount
of ten tons Of plaster in year. No
wonder that he was successful. An
other wealthy farmer. an excellent
manager of great experience, said to
me that whatever success he had at
tanned in farming was to be attributed
directly to clover. Ii is a singular fact
that in the immediate neighborhood OF
such intelligent. successful farmers Is
10 be found those in great numbers
who never use more than two or three
pounds OF clover seed To the acre, and
who do not To this day succeed in eur.
ing clover hay so that their cows will
eat II with q relish.