Evening journal., 1903-05-09
CLOVER IS THE
CHIEF HAY CROP
Other Crops Substituted But
None Give Such Good
Results
ROOTS THE MOST IMPORTANT

Until il Reaches It's Largest Growth
Above oround-other Notes Of the
Farm.
Clover rs the chief crop upon which
the farmer relies for improving o.
maintaining the fertility OF his land.
Other crops are sometimes substituted,
but never with such good effect as
clover, There are many ways. how
ever, in making use of clover as an |
improver of the soil. which are at /
tended with different degrees of bene- |
fit, and while much depends upon the |
locality distance from market. etc, /
there are certain principles which are
alike applicable to all cases. The roots |
Of clover are the most important pars
Of the plant so far as the improvement |
Of the land is concerned, not that the
tops are any less valuaDle (as there
are many other plants which tor bulk
and quick growth above ground may
be said to excel IL, but which, when
turned under with the view of improv-
ing the land, are fan less beneficial in
their effects Buckwheat, for instance.
has much none rampant growth of
top, but the effects of this. when turn
ed under, are not near as good as
those of clover, for the reason that
buclowheat and such ANIMALS do not
penetrate the sub-soil and bH4ng up
therefroml and deposit near the sur
face the mineral matter contained
therein, which is so essential to the
successful growth of plants, their
growth being due only TO
what the roots take from
the ordinary surface soil. In other
words, the roots OF the clover plant
bring up fertilizing matter from the
deeper sub-soil, which the roots of
bucl1wheat and such other annual
plants cannot reach.
Glover should never be turned under
until il has reached its largest growth.
as well below as above ground. For
this reason the old practice Of blowing
IL under when in bloom is objection
able, for. although the growth of the
stem and leaf is then at its minimum
the roots have not then completed their
growth But by cutting the first crop,
a second growth is the sooner induced,
which, although much less in amount,
secures an enormous increase in the
growth of the roots, thereby placing 1t
in the best condition for turning under.
The better way, then, to secure the full
benefit of clover in the improvement
OF the soil. is to allow it two full sen
b sons of growth before turning il un-
9 der. as the plant is biennial, more or
less of the roots drying out at the end
= of the second year, thus causing the
fTta rrfcr ~ A
place. leaving the after condition of
the field as a damaging Offset to any
good effected by the growing Of the
I clover but when the first of the second
8 years crop is taken on the second
! starts so soon, and makes so strong
. a growth as to completely smother the
weeds. II has been demonstrated that
clover sod is the more valuable as a
fertilizer after it has been used for two
seasons as hay, as the roots win then
: attain their full development and be
richest in fertilizing elements. Wha;
the farmer who wishes to avail him
self OF the full advantage of this crop
. should do is to turn the sod under
when fun of roots, preparatory TO put
ting the land in corn and wheat OF
d corn. oats and wheat, as the case may
81 be, and then seed down to clover
e again. Cut the clover two years for hay.
= or pasture it. which is nearly the same
s thing. then plough under the sod as
e before, and so on, turning under good
a clover sod every three or four years
7 until the land Is completely reno
r. vated applying at the same time what
T ever IbaTnyard manure can be spared
S to hasten the process.
: Two Crops to Be Planted in May.
Mlllet is entirely a summer crop, and
the seed should not go in the ground
q until warm weather has been assured
= II is especially adapted to light sandy
T. soils, upon which large crops can be
grown, but thrives well also on soils
,. that are heavier. The richer the soil
!. the better, but IL Is very important to
e iTst get the seed bed in a fine pulver-
/, ized condition. Plow deep and harrow
10 several times before seeding, using a
3 brush for covering in the seed. If the
e location is in good, rich and suitable
portion of the field, the seed should be
4 sown thickly, for the finer the stalks
/. the tenderer and more palata'ble the
hay, but where it is ECwn for the pur-
pose Of obtaining seed for the succeed
ing season IL should be done in drills
using less seed, though Il may be broad
casted il necessary. The appearance
Z of millet while growing is similar to
that Of thickly-sown dwarf corn, the
leaves, being broad, covering the
4 ground completely. It grows very rap
s idly, especially during warm weather, if
r there has been a plentiful supply Of
q moisture, and it also stands the drought
s admirably. The tall German giant mil
e let is the kind generally preferred.
/ Hungarian grass is very similar TO mil
r let both belonging TO the same fam
lily of plants, but while the millet can
J. be cropped only once Hungarian grass
n furnishes successive cuttings until fail
S which is an advantage when the soiling
e system is practiced with stock; but it
y does not grow as tall as millet; nor
s give such heavy yields at tne times OF
q qufffnn = haU qr0n for xtripfe~ nee