The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-11-16
Alfalfa And Clover.

Messrs. Editors: | see IN the Pro
gressive Farmer and Cotton Plant Of
September q, an article from Fl. NJ.
Daniel. Hot Springs, N. a.. in which
he says: "Our alfalfa seems to have
failed entirely. / cut clean crop Of
grab grass from the patch recently"
Now, as my experience fits his case
precisely, | feel it duty to give it,
as it may save other failures. My age
(85) is my excuse for poor penmanship
and scattered ideas, but as l have gone
through Mr. Daniels. experience, I
will begin with red clover, as they
need the same preparation, and in
many respects are alike. About sixty
years ago began to farm, and wanted
| red clover. 1 began sowing it after
the plan at the North and West, that
is to SOW the clover with some grain
(wheat preferred.) Failure was the
consequence. After farming here for
| several years, I sold out and moved 10
Cass (uow Bartow,) Georgia, where the
land is fine, and we'll adapted to clover
if properly treated.
Feeling confident Of success, 1 went
to work as before, sowing with some
grain. After two or three failures,
had made up my mind to move again
if I failed. Awhile before the time to
sow wheat friend paid me visit who
had experience with clover, and sug-
gested that I leave off the wheat and
sow the clovers alone, both red and
white. My success was complete, and
from that day to this have not miss
ed stand, either in Georgia or since
the war in my native land, and have
grown some as fine as I ever saw any
where.
The preparation is all. Sow in tie
spring on land thas has grown clean
crop the year before, 80 as to exter-
inmate the crab grass, for no crop that
I have ever seen will grow with the
crab grass. Select land whore no crab
grass grew the year before, plow and
harrow, until you get the land in the
best condition you can, then SOW broad
cast, about eight or ten pounds to the
acre, about the middle of April, and
don't out it the fret year. unless the
crab grass gets into it. If so, NOW it
when the first blooms turn brown.
A very similar treatment suits the
alfalfa. I call it lucerne; the new name
has got in. being the Mexican for
lucerne. By proper care you can get
good stand, which will last fifty
years or more: the red clover will
need renovating after FIVE years. You
can get two crops Of hay from the red
clover, and four or FIVE from the lu-
cerne. The preparation for the lu-
cerne is like the clover, but you
should SOW the alfalfa or lucerne in
drills 18 inches apart, and use four or
five pounds per acre.
You may cut the alfalfa when it gets
a foot high, and then every thirty
days until the middle of September,
but never let an animal tread on it..
And there is no end to its life and
value, but watch for the crab grass; it
spreads in mysterious way, but it is
death to all crops. After you begin
to cut the alfalfa it will out back the
grass. It is very important to keep
up the fertility Of the land, for you
cannot keep up land and get heavy
crops without fertilizing heavily.
Hoping this may save some farmer
from such error as young ones make,
with many good wishes, I am truly
your friend,
j. Washington Watts.
Mountville, s. G.