The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-07-24
ALS|KE GLOVER
Grown in the Red River Valley
and why not in the Jim?
A. interesting Paper by a Trail
County Farmer

=
During the institute work, Wednes-
day after noon, before the farmers
from Walsh, Nelson Trail, Rurleigh,
ana Stutsman counties, Datus G.
Smith of Blanchard gavea very inter-
esting talk on zone Year Clover"
and the following is a report Of his re-
marks which were listened to with
marked interest and he was accorded
appreciatiye applause when he sat
down:
What is our present expeicence with
clover in the Red River Valley?
Does it not amount to about this?
We have found that, if properly seed
ed, we can generally get catch and
we can as a rule carry it safely through
the first winter under the snow that
fills the high stubble over it. We are
delighted and say, 1--WE can raise Glow
er." The following winter the clover,
no longer having the stubble to catch
the snow and protect it dies and we
then sit down nwae and say, 1--WE
cannot raise clover"
Now, wish to offera suggestion.
l nigh call it new idea but for the
fact the only novelty initis the rec.
gonition of the condition named
coupled with their frank acceptance
in farm practice.
Why should we not go earnestly
about raising clover for a one year
corp, get the use of it that year for
hay or pasture and then plow it down
either that fall or in the following
spring?
| Why should we not raise clover for
a one year crop as we do corn and bar
| ley and millet?
A one year crop OF clover costs less
land is far better than any of them,
dollar for dollar, for renewing the
soil. What change it would make in
this valley if one tenth OF our lands
were every year in clover meadow or
4 pasture and a like amount ploWed
down every year.
BY blowing down Il one year clover
meadow or clover pasture we would
!! get a large measure of the benefits de.
slsired from two year crop OF clover.
| We would thus get quicker rotation
which might fully compensate us fol
| losses in other directions. A dollar an
acre would nearly pay for a full seed
!. ing of clover alone, but for the pres
ent think we should seed the clover
with timothy and that would cost
less. Then if the clover fails, as il
sometimes will we have the Timothy
left. 1t should not discourage us al
all to recognize that clover will some
times fail by this plan, it sometime
fails in the best clover countries.
II Whatever the theories may be as t,
the draft of timothy on the soil w
are coming to recognize pretty plain
ly that timothy sod in quick rota
tion brings us back about the neares
to prairie sod of anything that W
) haye-and every man of us knows tina
a sod of timothy and clover nike
> would be far better than timoth
alone.
Either red clover or alsike would,
i think, answer for this one year crol
Either would, as rule, live throug
the first winter and each has its al
! Svantages. But prefer alsike Glove
because it is better sheep feed, b
( cause it ripens more evenly wit
timothy and above all because
better endures on the land, it drol
some seed every year in the soil.
It is my experience that where
have once sown xlsike clover, there
ALWAYS have q sprinkling OF it. IT
It clover bacteria is abundant in it, as
d is in the red clover here at thestatiol
J. For me, until I gain more wisdom
] I shall mix some alsike clover wit
K every quart Of timothy seed that Y
. hereafter put in. ''How much
y ylsikep" is asked. Well, I should say
n much as you can screw your couraf
Is up to, under three pounds per acr
ls hut half . pound is better than not
y ing. Try it in small way at al
lrtrate.
ID have been trying alsike clover IN
= small way for several years and G.
q recall no recent failure except in q
IN drouth OF 1900. We lost what was %
se lin that spring and also thai carri
n- through the previous winter, but K
e tlnately We had the timothy left.
" There are two conditions that see
e imperative In seeding clover and I'll
lf- lothy as well. Seed very early !
Of have firm seed bed. I would a
is Iseed shallow and under pressure.
its ! This year 4 observe the results