Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-08-03
CIoXar Encf&

Clover Face&
Bradfced Miller, in the quarterly TO
port of the Kansas State Board OF
Agriculture, says: The growth OF
lent mulch. which accounts for Itself
in the succeeding crop The seasons oil
growth vary, owing to favorable or I'M
favorable conditions. so that no time
can be fixed when the cutting should
be done. The general practice is to
cut it too late to get the best results in
hay. 1 have obtained the best hay by
cutting when about one-third of the
heads were turned brown. The now
ing should be done after the dew is on,
and the clover soon turned with good
fodder. which assists the curing very
much With favorable weather, 1t Is
ready for raking into wfndrows short
~ after noon. The old rule, that Glow
er is not ready to be put in the barn
until it would rattle like a lady's silk
dress. has given way to the practice
OF getting 1t under shelter before the
es enfng dew falls upon it; if fairly well
wilted, the rest of the curing Is done
in the NOW, to the benefit of the new
hay
Where the roof of the barn has
good ventilators, no special risk is
N~-~~
ing fire. When put into the NOW in
this condition it cures nicely and comes
out in bright and sweet condition the
following winter. The second crop for
SEED or for feed; If for feed, the cut
ting should be done before the seed Is
ripe. The second crop is usually OF
finer growth and makes a most excel
lent feed for young stock. If this crop
is cut for seed the cutting should be
done before too ripe.
While the seed does not shatter bad
ly If very ripe, when dried the stems OF
the clover break easily and the head is
lost. The same trouble is encountered
If the crop is cut with a moving ma
chine and subsequently rakCd and
punched for handling. A preferable
way is to cut with a machine having a
side delivery, which lays the clover
OF in punches, where It cures without
handling, and when ready Is hauled
away to be stacked or thrashed. II
cut before too ripe, and properly cared
for, the straw, after thrashing, makes
a good feed for cattle. While the seed
may not yield as much as when cut
later, the straw compensates for the
difference.
The cost of thrashing Zone dollar Per
~~~~~s
with the price of seed at from three to
four dollars per bushel, but probably
cannot be helped until the quantity
raised is largely increased, but the de-
STABILITY of having good, fresh seed
adds to the inducement of raising your
own. Glover hay should be kept I'M
der shelter, and as a feed, when prop
erly made and cared for, for most kinds
of stock, l place it second to none
other.
1t is claimed very generally by Glow
er growers that a field upon which a
good crop of clover is grown for two
successive years will, when replowed
and planted to corn, yield from fifteen
to twenty-five bushels more corn per
acre than it did before sown to clover,
or than similar land by its side will
which has not been thus treated. The
percentage of increase is quite as
large in raising wheat, oats, potatoes
and other crops. To explain just how
this is done is not the purpose of this
paper, but to speak of the fact, which
has been fully established both in this
state and elsewhere. The plant draws
nitrogen from the air, and stores it in
the soil for the use of succeeding crops.
The roots of the clover penetrate to a
great depth in the unplowed subsoil.
drawing nutriment therefrom, assist
ing in holding moisture, which, when
the roots die and decay, increase the
fel tility of the soil as well as the stor-
ing capacity for moisture, and with its
sister, alfalfa, has justly earned the
name of the silent subsoi1er," whose
success and efficiency are generally ad-
mitted and admired.