The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-08-17

Ne
want to plant two or three acres in clover
this Fail. and write t. ask YOU what kind of
fertilizer 10 use. and hoy lngyh 9'er acre shall
have 10 nse commercial fertilizer. Please he
definite and name VIVA; ran 5 TO use II it mas
to be mixed please say y1st how much OF each
kind. Should 70" SAP J-re Il fertile contain
ing certain per cert o. C-e ti-ing and a certain
per cen, OF another, uo-Id ne Is much in the
dark as ever. want i-e closar to cut and not
to be grazed.-H. s.. EIerroe. n. C.
answered by F. e. Emery. Agrculturist, Ex-
pertinent .otata,ii.j
The condition of the lteld should dictate how
muc1 fertilizer should lie used. If poor like
some o. our lands. no 57corn: OF fertilizer but
plowed-fn pea vines aTia stable manure top
dressed after sowing, Ga a thoroughly well pre-
pared seeded would be required TO make a fair
stand and good growth OF clover.
Y03l 10 rot need 10 buy nitrogen for clover on
fairly itch soil WHAT would be needed would
be sd.1. .iied by the organic matter in the soil
Ii tae soil Is IN good condition you might
300 90 SO pounds of dry hardwood ashes cor $50
10 go pounds Kainitl and 20 pounds OF acid
phosphate per acre. Sow both and harrow in.
ana when narrowed to fine seed bed SOW Is TO
20 pounds OF red clover seed, and go over once
with light roller or light harrow, or if these
are rot at hand, light brush. Sometime in
August will probably be suitable to SOW, but ii a
long dry spell follows you may count on re-
seeding, in which case the surface must be re-
narrowed to a seed bed again.
In the ordinary commercial brands of fertiliz-
ers you pay for what is found in ton, of each
OF the elements nitrogen. phosphoric acid. and
potash. Now, fair soil, clover does not
started to grow it forms sort of copartnership
with another plant, little microscopic plant,
S,
and by some obscure means the two gather nj
trogen from the air in the soil Thus we see
clover gathers its own nitrogen and much more
OF it than most of our other cultivated plants.
This costs so little and the animal food-yalue of
the nitrOgen-cOmpOundS in the clover. and the
plant food thus stored in the roots, is what
makes the growing of clover valuable to US.
1t is nitrogen trap.
If poor soil is to be used must get organ
&c matter into it for two reasons: To hold
moisture for the plants and TO sscournge a pro
cess called nitr1hcat1on and help on the clover
and It's friend by these favorable conditions
Stable manure plowed IN furnishes the plant
food and organic matter direct but is expensive
The cow-pea belongs to the same general family
OF plants as clover and, with its minute friend
has the greater advantage of being able tc
thrive on poorer land than clover can grow on
Then when the pea vines are ripe and ploweG
in and the clover seed soWn the well pre-
pared surface, 1t vegetables quickly and the
young plants are susceptible to severe changes
q drought may kill them or crusted surface
may prevent their coming up, or a minute hop
ping insect may come along in great number:
and eat od the tender leaves faster than they
grow. So light top-dressing of stable
manure which acts as a mulch to protect the
plants FROM the sun and hiding the soil prevents
somewhat the drying out of the surface anC
brings some more plant food directly to thu
plants, which may help them to grow awaI
from the insects if they are present
The second best course is to pillow the groun(
well and harrow in the fertilizer directed
Clover not needing nitrogen, you can buy aciC
phosphate for the phoSporic acid The brant
is mIEaterlal. You need now potash Hare
not leached, and also lime and some phosphori
acid which is favorable for clover.
You burn wood and may have the ashes a
home for a few cents per buShel can picl
them up in the neighborhood when you viii
have the best sort of combination of chemical
at the very smallest cost. Much now depend
on your preparation of the seed bed. Harrol
and sow as as the land is lit to work afte
good shower.