The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-02-09

yDeY a0HoGf0g Glover. ooo0 has been SOAo
IN the sonth, snd II requires some care
seeds, even half Of which will grow.
We regret that this 10 SO, for it has
been the means Of discouraging the
use Of clover.
Speaking OF clovers, there arc two
that ought to como into common uso
Ill over the south, though these two
are not SO well adapted to combining
with grain as tho Red and the Sap
ling varieties ore, and for this reason.
The latter will grow right on through
the summer and fall after the grain Is
cut OF. while '.Bur" and, ''Crimson"
grow through the summer. These
two, il sown in the fall or in February.
ripen their seed late in the spring and
die down. They are both ANIMALS and
are strictly winter growcrs-the very
reverse of our field peas. This charac-
tcristic renders these clovcrs more de-
sirablc than peas for ma nurial OF fall
low purposes and especially where
early pasture or IN early crop of hay
is desired, still more marked in their
superiority.
But the most extended use of these
two clovers, we believe. ultimately,
will be found in sowing them in the
cotton fields In October and November
| for the main purpose of keeping the
soil from being washed by the winter
rains, and later on In the spring the
crop turned under to enrich the land.
One good crop of Crimson or Bur clo-
| yer turned under would SO enrich our
average soils as to make show OF its
good effects for several years.
| Until q farmer comes to appreciate
the necessity for supplying his soil
abundantly with humus, and SO regu-
lates his practices as to give each aero
of arabic land q fair crop of clover Tor
/ 81 txzvn he,x wi
his farm ira condition to supply him
with profitable crops There is no 9th.
er way of restoring fertility to long
cultivated land than this of growing ii
on the land. Strange process the
thoughtless might allege. but the
mercial fertilizer You may on these
worn soils, it will be of little effect un'
less there is humus in the soil to make
it properly -assi,nilable and to open
the soil for the essential carbonic acid.
Till the soil with humus. then every
pound of commercial mineral manure
applied will have it's effect in increas
ing the crop. 1t is SO easy for the
southern farmer to restore humus tx
his soil if he only appreciates the nc
cessity for doing SO. He can restore
humus, in fact without intermittina
his money crop-let that be what i
might be.
What host of plants he has at hi
disposal-peas, Sofa beans, Bur clover
) Crimson clover, Sapling clover, Re-
) clover, Japan clover, Melilotus, vetcl'
. bcggar weed! Why mention any more
One of the greatest crimes of tn
| day committed chiefly against tn
farmer is the selling of seeds infertil
and worthless. 1t is quite possibl
I that there are some very good peopl
: who sell such goods ignorant of no,
; worthless they are. Then again Their
, are others who sell them KNOWN
t they are old seeds and consequent
= will not grow. There can hardly
any worse crime against the purse {
c our fellow-man. 1t is not bad q
3 selling adulterated medicine, but it
!. worse than highway robbery. Gu
q laws should deal severely with thos
q who commit either of these crimes