Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-01-23


Recently while at Washington and
in conversation with D. G. Fairchild,
OF the Department of Agriculture, tbs
question was asked by the writer II
there was any new forage plant re-
Gently introduced tnat gave promise
OF being of exceptional value to Ameri-
can farmers. Mr.. Fairchild, who has
travelled extensively in foreign lands,
seeking new plants that would be OF
3eneft to our agriculturists, replied
tnat, In his judgment, the forage plant
named Berseem was destined to play
great part in the coming agricul-
tural history of our country. Ber-
seem is, In word, the great forage
and soiling plant of the Nile valley.
Egyptian agriculture is now most
prominent on account CT its cotton,
which has obtained a world wide
celebrity. But the foundation of that
agriculture does not rest upon cotton
but upon the leguminous- plant ber-
seem. In Egypt, as elsewhere. it is
the !egume that upholds the fertility
OF the land, for the nv rf1ow of the
Nile is by no meanC the only element
in the retention of the fertility of the
country
Berseem is also called Alexandrian
clover and Egyptian clover. 1t is
closely related to our ordinary red
clover and is known Dotanically as
Trifolium A1exandrinum. 1t is be
Heved, however, that the plant did not
originate at Alexandria but that it
came from some other Mediterranean
region and was introduced into Egypt
in comparatively recent times. Mr..
Fa1rchild says that it is a plant of
very great importance now in all
parts of Egypt. 1t is the first crop
planted after reclaiming the salt
lands; it furnishes the green fodder
for all the work animals in the big
towns; all the becs and milch cattle
Craze upon it; the camels are fed upon
it; and the well-kept donkeys get
their portion of it. Every coachman
carries a bag of it for his horse, and
every drayman has a bundle of it on
top of his load for the feeding of his
donkeys or bullocks. 1t is brought
into the cities green and is, sold in
large quantities in the market place.
The Egyptians have found out the
value of clover and are building up
an agricultural prosperity upon it. Ten
years ago about a million acres of it
were planted in that country and the
| area is increasing. In America clover
is one of a number of fodder crops;
in Egypt it is THE fodder crop. The
Egyptians also keep up the supply of
nitrogen in their soil largely by the
use of this legume. 1t is also great
weed destroyer, on account of its Wig
orous and rank growth.
But what IS it's value to our coun-
| try? Chiefly as a plant to grow in
| irrigated regions where the winters
are not enough severe to kill it out
| Under S, ch conditions it starts into
growth with remarkable rapidity, out
| grows most kinds of weeds and yields
| one of the most palatable and nutri-
tious folders known. When young it
bears a strong resemblance to alfalfa,
but does not have the same kind of
succulent. Its root system is small
but well supplied with tubercles. It
is found advisable to use it as a win
ter crop, planting it in the fall and
cutting it in the spring. The United
| States government has imported a
good deal Of the seed md is trying
it experinlentally in The Southern
states and in California 1t IS looked
upon as q probably valuable soiling
and cover crop for orchards in Texas
and Arizona. For forage in the north
west it is advised to plant it in the
spring after the danger OF frost Is
past and harvest it in the fall, as it
is an annual OF about ten months
from seed to maturity. AS yet it is
in the experimental stage, but great
things are hoped from it.-Farmers'
Review.