The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1892-04-21
written FOR the posr
Sowing Glover.

The exceptional season affords cX.
cellent facilities for sowing clover
and grass seed | have found dur.
ing good many years past that
thcle seeds should bo well covered
with soil, aud be put in as early as
possible There are several reasons
why the seed, although it is so small.
should have II sufficient covering of
soil and this is not less than an
inch deep. The tender spire of grass
and the seed leaves of clover have Il
small root and are killed out right
by few hours of hot sunshine, or
dry wind which takes all the mois-
ture out of the surface soil | have
closely watched the young plants
which started to grow from surface
sown and uncovered seed in the
spring and most of them lay upon
the surface with the roots sprawling
and vainly trying to penetrate the
soil. If the weather should be wet
and warm they may succeed in this;
but sharp frost, or hot sun or
dry wind for few hours causes the
struggling root to wither and per
ish. This may be observed by any
farmer who will take the trouble to
examine the seed few days after it
has been sOwn on the surface i'm the
spring, without any attempt to Gov
er IL. And it is the cause in most
cases of failure to catch and loss of
seed and time aud u crop. all OF
which disturb fatally the order of
the farmers work. Sometimes this
danger may be eyaded by sowing
the seed on the frozen ground when
1t Is broken up and cracked with
innumerable assures and the sur
face is raised by the frost. Ther
t",-''FA ~, W. IN ,!.,t. he = oJg;ssp1 49,
40 covered safessy; WITH tie ..irst ,,.S
or rain. If good opportunity is
waited and watched for, for this pur
pose, there may be safety in surface
sowing. Just now the open weather
offers such opportunities, which
should not be neglected for with
every future freezing and thawing
of the surface the seed will sink
deeper and gain full protection for
the roots when termination occurs.
And when this occurs the result is
tins The young root starts into the
SOIL straight down, while the seed
leaves or tho spirc are protected.
and before they reach the light the
root has penetrated two or three
inches into the soil. | have dug M
young clover plants whose tiny
leaves have Just penetrated to the
surface, and have found not only n
root, but many Of them branching
frccly y and having Il firm hold of the
soil and three inches long. Such
roots have firm foundation and are
safe from harm if dry season of
two or three weeks should happen.
And the soil Just now is in the best
condition for this safe reception of
the seed. My plan, however. has
been to SOW these seeds ut any time
when the land is fit for the harrow.
and either alone or with any other
crop, whether it be wheat, rye, oats.
barley buckwheat, on millet, but
not later than July, and if the soil
Is III good condition and the seed is
sown Immediately after the main
narrowing, and is then covered with
Il light sloping tooth harrow, the
crop is safe no matter what kind of
weather follows at least | have not
had n failure with seed thus sown
for 20 years, but previously there
were several in consequence of dry
or frost after the surface
seed had germinated in the weakly
above described. Those
who intend to SOW clover seed should
buy their seed at once, and should
figure ON at least one peck to the
acre. FARkrp