Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-12-27

digested) Is reduced to more avail.
able condition for plants by being
passed through the bodies of the ami
mails. 1t is claimed, however, that the
fass of roots and stubble left over in
the ground are nearly equal to the
tops, and the farmer, therefore, en-
riches his soil from that source
Green clover contains a large pro-
portion of water; hence there is a diff
ference between the green material
and clover hay. A ton of green clover
contains about one-half of one per
cent. of nitrogen, while clover hay con-
tains two per cent, VI tour times as
much as green clover. The compost
ton of clover differs, as there are sew
eral varieties-red, mammoth, alsike,
scarlet and whitehall are well-known
to farmers, but the common red kind
is mostly grown If an acre produced
three tons of clover hay, such clover,
when green and before cured, would
weigh II tons, 8 tons being really
water, but this depends largely upon
the stage of growth at which it is
moved, the nearer the approach of ma
turity the smaller the proportion Of
water. This large mass of water in
the green clover causes it to more
quickly decompose in the soil than
will the cured hay and the soil is con-
sequently soured to a certain extent
by the vegetable and mineral acids re-
sulting from the decomposition of the
clover The use of an alkali, there
fore, like lime, neutralizes the acids
and assists in the chemical action oc-
curing in the soil. the lime also serv-
ing as plant food for nearly all kinds
of crops. Potash and phosphoric acid
are also essential for crops, but the
farmer can purchase those substances
should, therefore, aim to produce as
much nitrogen as possible on the farm
by the use of the leguminous plants
clover, beans, peas, etc.
If there is a farm on which clover
will not grow use lime, and then pro-
cure earth from a field on which Glow
er has been grown successfully, in
order that the soil may be inoculated
with the microbes that assist clover
in deriving nitrogen from the atmos-
phere. That such can be accomplish
ed has been demonstrated by Mr.. Grau-
deau, Inspector General of the French
Agricultural Experiment Station, and
Herr Fruhweh, of Germany. They
acre with clover and soil incubation.
M. Graheau sowing 500 pounds of I'm
pregnated earth per acre on one plot,
1000 pounds on a second plot and
none on the third, the first crop pro-
ducing twice as much as the third, and
the second crop three times as much.
In Germany the "Lupitz" method is
largely used. 1t is to employ a sub
stance known as nitrogen which is
culture of the required 1hicrobe, but
the other elements of fertility, such as
lime and potash, are also added, by
which method all kinds of crops were
made to produce enormously at a saw
ing of so per cent. in the cost of fer
tilizers. Not only should clover be a
staple crop on all farms, but farmers
can grow quick-matur1ng crops, such
as rye, oats, COW peas, millet and buck
wheat for turning under, which, with
the aid of lime or wood ashes, will
largely increase the fertility of the
soil at small cost proportionately,
but farmers should not neglect the
use of manure and fertilizers while
growing green materials-Philadel-
phia Record.