Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-01-07
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Handling a Clover-Seed Crop.

| oSSCullduS III CUOhluS d udTS IS 10 III:
catch the hare This applies yer
forcibly to the clover crop during ii
| last three years, in which we hay
had such severe drougnts. Last yea
and the year before the best stand
were secured by sowing twice, an
this spring we had an early drough
that was SO hard on the young pla IT
that some fields were sown for tn
second time.
| was very successful in securing
stand this year, says a cor. esponden
of Michigan Farmer, by narrowing m,
wheat when ! sowed the clover, thi
giving it some loose ground to becom,
rooted in. Now that we have a goo
stand, presumably in small gra n
when the grain has been removed, O
say any time during August, accord
ing to the growth Of the clover or th'
growth of the weeds, Or both tn,
moving machine should be taken IL
and the whole moved down, cutting
close to the ground.
This is absolutely essential to the
successful seed crop, for the following
reasons: First, all weeds that have
come up after the grain has been cut
will thus be destroyed before tiey
have matured seed for the next
springs growth, and then you have
done a great deal toward keeping
your clover seed free from weed seed
that so depreciates its value in cr.ti-
cal markets.
Again, by cutting back the large
rapid top growth that has been mad :
you cultivate and stimulate root
growth, thus Strengthening the plant,
and making it better able to stand
the winter and the lifting process of
the frosts. In this respect, last win
ter was the worst we have had fog
years, and did more toward injuring
our prospects for a seed crop this year
than any other cause. Again, the
benefit of this forage as mulch is
very great, especially in preventing
heaving by frost.
Now that we have the C OPP throug
the winter and making fine growth
in the spring, the first enemy we en-
counter is the clover-seed nudge, an
insect whose history ar1 habits the
most of us are not very familiar with,
but whose capabilitt es to de-troy an
entire seed crop are none the less on
this account.
Our entomologists, whom we employ
to study the habits of these pests, tell
us that the crop of mi ge that de-
stroy the seed are Matched On the first,
or hay, crop of forage, and that clip
ping the first crop before June l, in
this latitude, when the nudge crop is
in the egg state, destroys the emit e
crop of nudge and secures a seed crop.
We do not have nudge every year,
but on nudge years we have the al
tentative of a hay crop and no seei,
Or a seed crop by sacrificing the hay.
This was demonstrated here fouc
years ago, when all clipped ground
produced the finest crop of seed, and
where the hay crop was allowed to
mature no seed was produced. The
most wholesome advice on this poi
is for farmers to SOW an increased
acreage of clover and in the sp ing
when it comes time to clip determina
rust how much is needed for hay and
can be put UP in good condition early,
and clip all the rest. You then have
I'm allowance of hay, and are sure OF
n AT ri
the seed crop is so profitable hat you
should make it point to clip some
ground every year. Then you are
sure of your own seed to SOW and
some to sell.
Farm Water Supply.
Few farmers remember how much
they appreciate a cool draught of
water, fresh from the well or foun ain
in summer, when providing for the
live stock Too often the tank or
trough is filled but once in "a hours.
The pigs too often have access to the
places Of the larger stock.
Positive detriment to the stock re-
suits when the water is not always OF
an inviting tempera ure.
AS a rule, digestion is aided more
by good water ever in the Te3ch Il the
animals than any other one article.
The quality is much better IL possible
to furnish it free from surface impur-
titles.
The deep wells which are sunk now
400 feet or more below the solid rock
strata will do much to abolish the
evils attending the su- face water
Where the expense Is great on &C
count of the depth of 500 feet or more,
of small farms is advis-
able. A town of 200 or more peop'e
in some parts Of the west IL supplied
by two or three deep wells, with no
serious consequences. From two or
four farms might be supplied by q
partnership we'll, where brains gov
erned the management. Double fences
for few rods, to keep the sock sep
arated by healthful dis ance, would
be the chief consideration. Such re-
serve wells, too, would prove often
very convenient every month In the
summer, even when the surface wells
are filled, avoiding the removing Of
some of the stock long distances from
the pasture for watering.
Each 160-acre stock farm should
have a deep well.-Farm, Field ant
Fireside
Farm Help.
The scarcity of good hands for tn
farm in many parts Of the countr.
has been the subject of much com
-. L.