Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-10-08
THE FARM AND HOME.
CLOVER IN RELATION TO FER
TlLITY OF THE SOIL.
10 Prevent Winter ESilIine--Kecp.n~ APP
ples-A Remedy for Iice-Care for
Cows--Stock Notes and
Homo Hints.
clover to Maintain FERTILITY.

OF clover in It's relation to maintain
ing the fertility OF the soil writes
Waldo /. Brown in the National
Stockman. He asks how best TO
manage it 20 secure q stand; II any
thing can be done TO prevent winter
killing and how to get the most fer
tlliy out of il without reference to
its value for any other purpose
In our changeable climate where
We can never tell whether the spring
Will be wet or dry. and where week
OF summer weather IN March or early
IN Apr,l is frequently followed by sew.
eral days OF hard freezing. We cannot
always be sure oil stand OF clover
but since | adopted this rulo (ten
years or more ago) OF sowing early
from February ~ to March 10 have
had oniT one partial failure and we
have had several severe tests in this
period, | do not care so much FOR
the date OF sowing, as for the condl-
lions ana the most favorable condi.
tons are bare or nearly bare ground
sharply frozen n clear sky and rising
temperature so that the surface Is
sure to thaw in the middle OF the day.
The reason object to sowing on a
snow or unfrozen surface is that a
sudden thaw or heavy rain is
likely TO wash the seed into
lunches or on rolling land some OF
II may DO washed entirely Oh the field.
SOwn early under these conditions Tho
seed Is covered by one or two freezes
and IS in much less danger of being
killed By the late freezes than II il
lies on the surface and sprouts and
also | believe less liable to perish ia
a spring drought also use more
seed than is customary with most
farmers u bushel 70 five or at most
six ares | would defer sowing the
clover until some time ia April If had
land OF such a character that it could
De narrowed both ways. but on clayey
upland we can very rarely use the
harrow 10 any advantage and usually
not at all until the wheat is too large
and so find early sowing and frost
to cover it the best and surest.
Much can be done | think to pre-.
vent clover from winter killing ana
one OF the most essential things on
many farms is under drying On
sprouty clay soils it is almost impo :
sible to prevent the clover from heay-
ing out without thorough underdrain.
ing. Good winter protection In the
way OF mulch is o. great benefit on
most soils and this can always be had
at very slight cost by cutting the
wheat rather high. and not pasluring
the clover at all and clipping down
the stubble and clover together about
the first OF August. In cutting II for
this purpose the track clearer should
always be removed and then all the
clover and stubbIe falls just wnere il
stood and is not punched but Is even. |
ly distributed over the soil. and furu.
ishes a winter protection that will |
save field from freezing out which
would be greatly damaged II ii was /
pastured off closely in the fall so that
the plants are left with no pro.
lection. do not believe that
any farmer unless his lands are very
rich. can afford to pasture /
young clover at all the first summer
and ! practice what preach in this 4
line. for have not turned a single /
animal on young clover for twenty
years past and as soon think OF tnrn-
ing my stock into the corn or wheat
fields as on the young clover. While
would advise the draining OF all /
wet lands | know that is costly. md
most farmers must do it gradually as
they have the means. But they need
not decide t1at these wet lands cnnnof
be benefited by clover because Il viii
unusually freeze out the first winter
Tor by liberal seeding and not pastur.
ing at all "a magnificent growth 10
thoroughly cover the land can often
De had the first fall | have followed
his plan as an experiment now for
,wenty years on a field OF about
.wenty acres. and | never saw a
heavier growth OF clover at any
Ieason OF the year than have on
his field in October from seed sown
he previous March.
think that TO get the greatest
'enetit TO the land from u clover crop
md at the same time make money
rom it, would recommend the
plan: First lelve all the
.rowth the first season on the land
nd cut it once or IL the season is one
Q produce heavy growth, twice. II
eft TO make all its growth and fall
own 1t sometimes will smother out
nd kill the plant | have had this
ccur with the mammoth variety.
he next season cut the first growth
a the same way and. leave IL on the (
and and then cut the second crop for
eed. | know that IL is a popular /
lea that to grow a crop OF clover
sed exhausts the land. but think IL I
rroneous and 80 far as benefit to the
md is concerned / would much
ather grow seed than 10 have /
ne crop cut for hay. Whyp I
ecause the ground is shaded
niger and mulched better when
-op is cut for seed. the clover being
lowed to stand and rlpen unit! in ..
AndlinR 1t most OF the leaves fall OIL
zen we have the haulm to put back
4 the field. Managed as / recon.