The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-15
nrI,annn oleyer.

In the last leeus atiehsVh
 nalled to the necessity of planting bur glover as carly in September as prac- 4i6ahg6 That plant is useful only Tor uaefsara9e and for soil imprcyement n crimson clover we have aNplant useful not only for grazing and TOT soil Improvement but also for hay. oh the whole 1t is perhaps the most gen orally practicable plant of al .ne wino ter growing legun#s It's adyantase pver bur clover and vetch are thst sno seed for an acre costs far less The lime is no wat hand for the sowing of crimson clover, for next to bur eio- yer 1t requires, among the s~ihte1 growing plants. the earliest pian'ias period
 Fortunately in most cases no speeiaI urenaration of the land is required TOT crimson clover. It can be sown Tn tne midst of the growing cotton plants ~ any time between September 10 ano October 10, in Central Alabama anu covered with a one horse harrow or other shallow cultivating implement The massage of this harrow. one ttip per row. will do little or no damage to cotton of medium or small size II 1t has been recently picked. In my experience crimson clover does better when nlanted on clean. well cultiyatea. well settled land than when the A.urh blow is used just tefore seeding
 Sow fifteen pounds or one peek oI eeed per acre. the cost or which as the high prices of this year IS nl
 tie above one dollar. The seed mus. be inoculated, using for this purpvso as large an amount as possible of the soil from a spot where any of the true clovers have recently grown, namely red clover, low white clover, CarolihA elever or crimson clover. Even In re- rfons where the true clover Is not gen erally grown we can often ma the white and Carolina clovers, which may be known by their roundish white blooms of about the size of the end or one's finger, appearing in the late spring.
 The government is still distrioutink pure eulturea for the inoculation or ciovers and other legumes and IS us- ing improved methods of preparing ana distributing this material which VIII probably cause the present supply or pura cultures to give more uniformly favorable results than did those Iors fneriy sent out, However, at this late date. and allowing for inevitable de- lays in obtaining material from the Department of Agriculture at Wash tngton, would advise reliance on the use of clover soil from field free from troublesome weeds and from danger ous plant diseases.
 Crimson clover is ready to cut Tor hay about the first of May or in time for the planting of any late crop, sucn as sorghum, sweet potatoes, etc. it can be pastured during March and April and the use of the land thus se- cured in time for the late planting or cotton. Nearly any kind or soil Tn the cotton fields of Alabama will grow crimson clover. although on sour SOILS the broadcast application of half toh of slaked lime per acre is desirable.
 We ali know the great value or the cowpea in improving the soil, but 1t seems impossible to convince a large majority Of farmers that it would profit them to substitute cowpeas for cotton on some of their poorest land. Tn crimson clover we have plant all most as potent as cowpeas in the up building of the soil, and yet occupying the land only during the cooler part of the year. cannot too strongly urge the planting of larger areas of crimson clover in the cotton fields. Lt make this recommendation only on the following conditions; (l) That sowing be done promptly; (2), That the seed be thoroughly mocuiated. But for the fear of deterring many who would succeed without the use of any fertilizer, would. add third require ment. namely, the application of 200 pounds per acre of acid phosphate. On the Station Farm at Auburn we do not usually apply any fertilizer to crimson clover sown in the cotton fields. Here we have increased threefold the yield of sorghum by devoting the land the previous winter to clover.