The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-03
Ss<ch, Burr Clover and Crimson Clover and Methods of Inoeulating the
 Plants.

wssch, Burr Clover and Crimson Clover
 and Methods of InocuIating the
 Plants.
 There are four plants not generally grown in Alabama, which the farmer needs to consider at once. For if he decides that any one of them is suita- bie for his conditions he will have to plant the seed in the next few weeks. The four plants alluded to are hairy vetch, crimson clover, burr clover and alaflfa- One can postpone until Febru- ary the decision as to whether he shall SOW alfalfa, but if he waits beyond the middle of October to SOW the others his chances of success will be greatly dimin ished. Indeed, burr clover Is best sown much better than October sowing, How ever, in view of the dry weather for the past few weeks, September sowing Of burr clover would have been impracu- cable and useless.
 Burr clover, crimson clover, and hairy vetch are all annual plants; that is the seed need to be resown each year, or else the plants allowed to reseed them selves. All three of these plants start growth in September or October and form seed and die the following May or June. All three of them are legumi- nous plants that is plants bearing tu- bercles on their roots when all condi- tions of growth are favorable, and greatly improving the fertility of the soil by reason of the nitrogen taken from the atmosphere by these tuber- cles or enlargements on the roots.
 Burr clover, crimson clover, and hairy vafch all make exceedingly nutritious food for all classes of live stock. and all three of them are useful for pasturage from February till May. Hairy vetch and crimson clover also make an ex- cellent hay but burr clover has not been used extensively for this purpose. All three of these plants may be expected to fall unless tubereles grow on the roots. This implies that in most cases the seed of hairy vetch and crimson clover. and also the seed of burr clover. if the iaat are in unhulled condition. re- quire artificial inoculation. Inocula- ticn consists in supplying to each of these species material containing germs that will result in the development of tubercles or root nedules.
 This inocufation can be effected either by mixing with the seed artificial inocu- iafing material, (pure cuitures) of the proper kind of germs, which are now being distributed by the United States Department of Agriculture; or by sow ing with the seed soil containing the proper kind of germ. In order to de- eide just what kind of soil can be used co 1noculate each one of the crops just alluded to we can say in general way that such soil must come usually from 1eid where there has grown and borne tubercles the previous year the same kinF of ieguminous plant which we propose to inoculate. That we should take soil from an old vetch field where tubercIes have developed if we would a Aeld where crimson clover or other true clover. not including Japan clover or 10gpedeza, has recently grown, If we would inoculate crimmson clover.
 All of the above plants. If inoculated, can get along without nitrogen in the fertilizer but are greatly helped by the addition of at least half a ton of slack ed lime per acre. Alfalfa and crimson clover are especially responsive to lime. Wood ashes which always contains lime potash and a small amount of phospho- rio acid, serves as a complete fertilizer for tubercle-bearing leguminous plants.
 Hairy vetch has the advantage of both burr clover and crimson clover in C) being adapted to a wider range of soils, (2) in being hardier during the period of germination and after sprout- lng, and (s) in being somewhat more resistant to cold and hence permitting somewhat later sowing. It is also su- perior to crimson clover in the impor- tant particular that when properly managed vetch will reseed itself, while crimson clover will never do so. Hairy vetch should be sown at any date be- tween the last week in August and the last week in October, the earlier sowing being preferable.
 The most favorable thing about vetch is the cost of the seed. which is nnuv abauf R 0P canta ner nnund It requires about fifty pounds of vetch