The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-06-21
MANURrAI VALUE OF CLOVER.
Experiments to Determine the Value
of the Nitrogen in The Stems,
Leaves and Roots.

Leaves anu hucto.
The clover plant is one Of the most |
valuable that is within the power of'th-
farmer to grow, and it also enriches
him even when the clover is sold off
the farm, because there remains in the
roots left in the soil large proportion
Of nitrogen which was gained from the
atmosphere So great is the gain to
the farm when the entire crop il fed |
and returned to the land that but few
farmers realize the large increase in
that direction. Professor Shut, who
took clover roots from soil to the depth
of four feet, and also from plots to the
depth of two feet, of both the common
red and mammoth varieties, of one
years growth, found nearly as much
nitrogen at the depth of two feet as
when the roots were taken from four
feet, thus demonstrating that the roots
of clover, while going down deep into
the soil, do not go below the reach of
plants which follow the clover crop.
and even when the clover is seeded In
June and left until the next October,
there is a large addition to the supply
Of nitrogen in the soil As farmers
must provide nitrogen for all cereal
crops, while clover gives them nitrogen
instead of demanding that material,
there is great saving in expense,
which is an item of profit as well as
the crop. The most costly of all fertii-
izers is nitrogen, and when the farmer
can "grow his nitrogen" as is really
done with clover, its importance as a
renovating crop can not be overesti-
mated.
VALUE OF THE ROOTS.
As the red variety is more extensively
grown in this section than any other,
it is well known, and as much as four
tons of clover hay per acre may be cred
tied TO some farms under favorable con-
ditions; but in the experiments made
by Professor Shut, the clover being
seeded in July and the crop (stems,
leaves and roots) collected in October
Of the same year, he secured about Al
tons of stems and leaves and little
less than q tons of roots, per acre, Of
green material, which IS not large
quantity of green clover, but is sufficient
TO show what is left in the soil as nitro
gen. The stems and leaves contained
20 pounds of nitrogen, valued at $40 50
at Is cents per pound}. while the roots
left in the ground to the depth Of two
feet contained a. pounds Of nitrogen,
worth sos, the total amount Of nitro
gen in the crop being III pounds, val
ued at SlT.55. Red clover seeded in
Nav, aud cut in October of the same
year, produced over i've tons of stems
aud leaves and over ihlee Ions OF roots,
the total amount of nitrogen being l30
pounds. The mammoth red clover,
seeded in April and cut 10 May Of the
following year, produced ten tons of
stems and leaves, and over 81 tons of
roots, per acre, the total amount of nj
trogen being $50 pounds. These tests
were made to determine the manurial
value of clover, and the time was but
little over one year, the increase of nj
trogen being much more than would be
supposed by farmers who grow the crop
for hay rather than for the purpose of
improving tn soil.
STORED WEALTH IN THE SOIL
What should attract attention in a
clover crop is the amount of nitrogen
in the roots left in the soil after the crop
is taken off. The Fmer may sell his
hay or feed the crop on the farm, as pre-
ferred, but he still has left the nitrogen
which he gained 10y simply growing
the clover. The roots, therefore, may
be claimed as a portion of the crop and
the profit, and should be included in
the accounts as such. In ole case sc
pounds of roots remained in the soil,
valued at 50, which represented SO
much plant food waiting to be utilized
the next season, and which differed
from that usually supplied from the
fact that the farmer did not have to in
vest any capital the next season for
nitrogenous fertilizer, as he had his nj
lrogen ready stored in the soil for hii
use. Any farm that can be brought e
that condition so as to enable it to pro
duce clover can be gotten into the high
est state Of fertility, as the farmer hai
but to supply the cheaper mineral Ter
tilizers in order to balance the plan
; food. The profits of farming do no
: depend upon the crops harvested, bu
upon the prices realized compared will
! the amount of material removed from
: the land, the real wealth and capital
the farmer being his soil, and when b
can sell something from the land whicl
provides him with more than he tool
from it in the form of crop, he Is sur
: to become prosperous in few years.