Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-07-15
1Hs IMPORTANCE OF CLOVER.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOVER.
The most important problems that
the agriculturalist in this country has
to face to-day are those of keeping up
the fertility of his land without pur-
chasing large quantities of commercial
fertilizers and chemicals, and to pro-
duce some crop that will largely
take the place of the high priced con-
centrated feeding stuffs. Many of the
legumes are useful for these purposes,
but the family of clovers seem espe-
cially fitted TO occupy this position of
money saver in every system of agri-
culture. From the many varieties of
| clover one or more can be found that
will thrive in whatever part of the
country they may be needed. Here in
the north the common red mammoth
or pea vine, the alsike and the honey
suckle are profitable varieties. For
general use we prefer a mixture of pea
vine and alsike, two pounds of the for
mer To one of the latter; this will give
about an equal number of plants of the
two varieties, as the seeds of the alsike
are much lighter than those of the pea
vine. This mixture we SOW with nurse
crop, usually oats or Hungarian millet,
on land well plowed and narrowed until
fine The seed is raked in with weed
er With this treatment we rarely fail
to get a good stand Now the harvesting
When the clover is getting into blossom,
some fine morning, after the dew is of
we start the mower and in the middle
of the afternoon we pitch the clover in
to small cocks. Here it remains the
next day without being touched, and if
covered with hay caps or covers, will
take very little harm whatever the wealth
er may be. The next day it is opened
thoroughly and early in the afternoon is
carted to the barn. The leaves look
nearly as green as though the clover was
standing in the field and we have a
NOW that, pound for pound, is worth
nearly as much as wheat bran for feed
ing. Unless the season is very dry we
get large second crOpabout two months
later. In our system of dairy farming
this second crop is of much more value
to feed then to turn under as green
manure. IL | was engaged in truck
farming or potato growing | would plow
this second crop under 10 furnish nitro
gen and humus to the soil. If the sys-
tenn included both dairying and truck
farming | would cut the second crop and
feed it TO my cows and then apply the
manure to the land. In this way from
90 To 80 per cent of the manurial value
of the crop depending on how well the
manure was cared for, would be re-
turued to the land. 1t is of the utmost
Importance that land which is To be
seeded to clover should be made fine
and mellow before the seed is sown. IL
the soil is full of Jumps and clods only a
small part of the seed will start unless
the season is very wet, and if the weather
is favorable for the first two or three
weeks few days of drying wind will
scorch many of the plants. On the
other hand if the soil is mellow, the
loose dust mulch on the surface will re-
tain the moisture and the clover roots
will force their way between the loose
particles of the soil and find plenty of
plant food, and good stand is the re-
suit. If a nurse crop is sown with clo-
yer it is usually best to cut 1t for fodder
before it is fully ripe, for If left to ripen
it will rob the clover OF too much moist
ure. BY cutting the clover as soon as
il is fairly in blossom the plants are
given better chance of producing sec
ond crop and the feeding value of the
first crop is increased. What it may
lack in weight of crop is more than made
up by an increased digestibility of the
hay. Here in Maine alsike clover does
not receive the attention that its value
would seem TO warrant. On all of our
moist lands, when red clover will winter
kill alsike will produce large crops. 1t
is especially valuable to tighten heavy
clay lands. We SOW seed at the rate of
IL To 20 pounds to the acre. As alsike
is a biennial, it cannot be depended upon
for more than one crop. The roots will
penetrate the clay to the depth of more
than foot; this loOsens the soil and
when the roots decay they leave con-
siderable plant food in the soil. The
white Dutch or honeysuckle clover, is
mainly useful as pasture plant. In the
Middle and Southern States crimson
clover will largely take the place OF
other varieties. For hay it is important
that it be cut while in blossom, for II
left until the seeds get formed, the
brstly points around the head get hard
ened SO that they sometimes irritate the
stomach and intestines of the stock To
which it is fed, causing Inflammation and
occasionally serious trouble. lt IS also
valuable as winter clover crop for or
chards or corn land, being sown at the
last cultivation of the corn and cotton
fields. The king of clovers, alfalfa, Is
being sown in the North and East in
large quantities each year. While II
does not thrive in the North as well as
it does in the central and southwestern
part of the country, yet in many local.
ties it is better than any other variety
for permanent seeding. With this clover
mellow seed bed is of unusual impor-
tance. for if the soil is lumpy and hard
bare patches. 1t is best not to SOW al
falfa with a nurse crop, but give it the
whole of the ground and let it develop
as well as possible the first year. When
it gets TO be eight or ten inches high IT
is well To run the mower over it and
leave what is cut on the ground for a
mulch. II it produces another heavy
crop the first year, it may be cut Tor
hay, but it will winter better if the soil
is covered. After the first winter it is
well established and may be cut two or
three times year. 1t should always be
cut before it is fairly in bloom, for cut
ting at this stage seems to strengthen
the plants, while if the cutting is delayed
until the blossoms are past the plants
are weakened. A stand of alfalfa, if
properly cared for, will give good crops
for four or five years. For 20 if cared
for.--Ed.) The hay has the greatest
feeding value of any of the clovers. If
we farmers would give little more at
tention to the care and requirements OF
clover on our farms and grow more of I
we could put into our own pockets three,
fourths of the money usually expended
for fertilizers and a large part of the
money that we now pay for concentrated
feed stuffs.-H. l.. Smith in Practical
Farmer.