The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-09-28
CRIMSON CLOVER.


September is the month in all the
Gulf aud South Atlantic States when
crimson clover seed should be sown,
| and now that it has been demonstrated
beyond any doubt whatever that it is
really the best thing the Southern
farmer grows on his farm few items
| OF personal experience IN it's culture
will, hope, be acceptable.
One difficulty that contronts most
farmers IN growing e successful crop
of crimson clover is the dI Itfulty Of get
ting a good stand of il if sown at the
time, as che seed is very small and the
young plants are very tender st first,
and cur September sun is so very try
ing on ell young vegetation, to get over
this diff fulty the seeding should be
| heavy and about a peck per acre OF
COW peas should De sOwn at the same
time. The peas will grow quickly and
shade the ground and at the frat frost
they will get killed IF, out OF the way,
or if the frost is late in coming, or
where it is beyoL the frost line the
peas can be cut and cured if wanted
for fodder or left on the ground as
mulch for ell winter. Crimson clover,
like all the clover family, is a very
slow grower, and good many farmers
get easily discouraged if the stand
seems poor along in November and De
cember, but it has q sure and certain
hold Of the soil all the same, and la
during that period sending it's roots
away deep down into the soil after
moisture and heat so as to give good
account Of itself duriCg the early spring
months when it is mostly wanted for
a green bite for stock. We muse, how
J ever, be very careful not to allow stock
to remain too long grezing on it at any
one time; grazing helps it TO stool cut
and increase the yield, but as the crown
of the plant is apt to be we'll raised
above the ground, stock if kept too
long on it will cut IF this crown and
kill the plant. No animal is going to
eat eff the crown Of any plant the first
time, but if allowed to remain too long
their greed will overcome their animal
instinct and they will surely clip the
crown off, thus destroying the plant
One popularity of crimson clover is,
that to get a good crop OF it. it must be
grazed upon. Along in April and the
latter part of March crimson clover
that has not been cropped by any ani
mai wall get fibry and somewhat woody,
and if it is grown for a soil remover or
renovator, 1t should be plowed under
before this happens. AS a soil imprOver
there is nothing better, and II our
our Southern farmers would only realize
how much they can improve their run
down fields by growing crop of crin
son clover during the winter months
when their felds are lying idle any
way, then for every one that now
grows it there would be fifty.
But crimson clover, like other crops,
cannot be made on nothing; it must be
supplied with the plant food that is
adapted to it's needs, and a few dollars
spent in giving it this food is where the
best part OF the whole investment
comes in. A great many object to
spend money on fertilizing plant to
be ploWed under, and that is where
they make huge blunder, and il they
would only study the question sensIbly
they would see where III spending cents
they will reap dollars in reward.
The land for crimson clover should
be extra we'll prepared by pIowing and
narrowing several times and rolling it
after the seed is sown. In fertilizing
it we must remember that it is not
nG cassary. to have nitrogen as one Of
the fertil zing elements clover,
it does not need it-but we must be
liberal with those fertil 2rs that are
required, namely Phosphoric acid and
potash, An average application would
be about 800 pounds acid phosphate
and 800 pounds kRinit. 1t would prob
ably be more economical to substitute
muriate OF potash for the kainis, since
this material contains four times as
much actual potash and would be
cheaper where freight rates have to be
considered. The fertilizers for crimson
clover are at any rate very cheap, and
there is no reason whatever why two
thirds at least of our Southern farmers
should not have a good crop of crimson
clover this winter.
| @. K. n, QUARRIE.
De Funiak Springs, Fla.