Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-11-09
MA. TERRy,s CLOVER FARMING.


class Of people and are well read up 10
their business. So when . choice OF
subjects ~as given them for the farmers'
Institute 70 be held there last week they
wisely chose that Of "Fertility BY clover
growing matter Of which much has
been said and written, bat comparative
~ little prActiced by Maine farmers.
Clover production Tor hay they are all
practicing after = certain method, but
the growing Of clover for the special
purpose Of fertilixing the soil was mat
Ter OF which more had been read than
practiced and on which they were ripe
for lesson. Mr.. T. b. Terry of Ohio
Is the champion Of this systen Of manur-
Ing the land and has rung the changes
% widely on the subject through h!s
writings and By the way Of work before
institutes, that his name 10 familiar 60
all reading farmers. Mr.. Terry MAS tht
lecturer at the Turner institute. He |.
an interesting speaker and claims the At
tention Of hts hearers by the evidence Of
honesty and sincerity that 60 with
every word he utters. He indulges In
no sallies of wit or far fetched illustra-
tons but attends strictly to the subject
In hand. II any one supposcs that non-
sense and cheap stories are called for to
interest an audience OF farmers and IL
the only mental pabulum they are capa-
BILE Of taking, they should attend Que OF
Mr.. Terry's efforts and learn that sound
sense honestly uttered Il more accepta-
bic, and leaves q far better opinion OF
the speaker ~ we'll ss more profitable
results.
The theory Of clover fertilizing was
treated ut some length in the Farmer Of
last week. Mr.. Terry went on TO tell, In
proof OF the theory, how he had taken
run down and chopped OUT Ohio farm
Of only medium natural capacity OF the
soil, aud oy the application OF the system
he WAS celebrating, had produced profit
able crops, and along ~ith them had
gradually and surely enriched the soil
Till IL WAS now producing ss bouutifui
yields as Its nature admitted.
In order To concentrate the benefits
from the clover it becomes necessary for
IL TO recur ~ frequent crop. Mr.. Ter
rvs practice is what the English farmers
would designate ~ \ three course rota-
ton. Clover, potatoes, winter wheat,
are his crops grown Ia succession 10 the
order named. The clover sod Is plowed
up, planted TO potatoes, and after the
potato harvest Is sowu to winter wheat.
The next spring while the soil 10 yet
soft, clover seed IA sown on the wheat.
The wheat Is harvested In early summer
aud the land Il left the remainder OF the
season 10 the growth OF the clover.
During the autumn \ moving machine
IL run over the field clipping the stubble,
such weeds ss may have started, and the
clover, leaving the same on the ground
where II Was cut. The next year the
land Is left TO produce clover. This
completes the rotation. Thus the clover
comes In as crop once In every three
years.
OF course all available barn manure IL
saved aud utilized. This Il so used as TO
promote the clover crop, this being the
mAin thing. With good stand OF clover
secured, the other crops are provided
for through Its results.
In the early years Of Mr.. Terry's work,
or when first starting this run out soil
on the up grade OF fertility, he kept bur
little stock on the farm. OF course but
little hay MAS needed. At that time all
the second crop OF clover amounting
generally TO y ton and half 10 the
acre WAS left on the ground where it
grew and was plowed under With the
sod. Since the sod has been brought up
TO a better condition more stock IL kept
and the second crop OF clover IL also
saved for hay. More manure IL made,
aud this Is used as light application
all over the land to assist the clover 10
adding fertility TO the soil.
This briefly told is Mr.. Terry's system
Of clover farming as delineated at the
institute. All his efforts are aimed
towards producing the clover. This
crop provides the fertility and the need
ed conditions for growing the potatoes
and the wheat. The potatoes and the
wheat are the money crops and are sold
of the farm. No purchased mAuure' OF
ANY kind have been brought on the farm.
Before closing Mr.. Terry told his au-
dience that they should not overlook the
fact that tillsge Of the soil MAS an i'm
portsnt factor 10 the system he WAS sd-
vocating. The soil 10 q great storehouse
OF the mineral elements necessary TO
plant growth. Clover secures nitrogen
from the sir but the potash and phos-
phoric acid must come from the soil
palveriking, stirring and air.
ing the soil, aid In setting free these eie-
ments where the growing plant may OBJ
tain them ss its needs require. Hence
tillsge-is as essential
10 the crop OF clover 70 follow as the
clover Is TO the crops following it. IL is
clover aud tillage that accomplish the
work and not either alone.
Then the clover must be given
chance TO make its crop. The clover Is
20 be cultivated. Other grasses are not
wanted TO any extent 70 60 with II.
Give the land to clover and subdue all
other growing plants by clean culture
preceding IL.
IN the clover Is thrown out Of the soil
and killed BY freezing and tha~ing, the
land needs drainage. In such case this
Il another essential 10 success with the
system. !.
A farmer starting with this method OF
building up the fertility OF his land,
must not be disappointed II marked re-
suits do not appear on the first trial. IL
is n gradual process, slow at hrst, out
gaining strength as II advances, and sure
10 come In the end.
Farmers must get at, Mr.. Terry claim
ed. some chesp process Of fertilizing for
crops in order to leave . margin OF
profit with the low prices for products
met on every hand at the present time.
The mir above IL full Of free nitrogen and
the soil Ia full Of minerals. Clover will
draw upon this nitrogen, and tillage will
act free the mineral elements. Practice
has proved this and scientists accept it.
The institute drew out . fairly good
attendance of farmers who were there
for the purpose of learning something.
They were much pleased with Mr.. Ter
nv and his lecture. In the evening
large audience filed the hall TO listen to
a lecture from the same speaker on "The
Wifs,s SHARE Mr.. Terry will ever be