Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-06-19
The Spread of Alsike Clover.

On our return from trip in the
east last summer we called the at
tention Of our readers to the marvel
GUS spread of alsike clover in the
eastern states; the result of the con-
tinuous cultivation in grain and the
lack of live stock in sections where
it was more profitable to sell grain
on the market, than to market it in
the condensed form Of butter, pork,
or beef. In short, the waste Of hu-
mus in the soil as result Of this
method of farming rendered the
growing Of red clover improbable,
if not impossible. In other words,
the soil Of these partially worn out
farms refused to grow red clover,
the section Of the country west Of
Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio
growing red clover only on farms
where there was more or less stock
raising, or where a liberal amount
of manure could be purchased.
We notice from bulletin of the
Tennessee Experiment Station that
the same conditions prevail in Ten
nessee; that red clover is going out
of use there and alsike being sub
stituted in it's place. We apprehend
that these same conditions will pre-
vail over still wider sections Of
country as the process of humus
wasting goes on.
Some farmers when they find that
their land refuses to grow red Glow
er, or is "clover SICK" will resort to
commercial fertilizers. Those who
are wisest will resort to the growing
of alsiks clover. There will prob
ably come a time when alsike will
refuse to grow, and then the pur-
chase Of commercial fertilizers will
be a dire necessity, necessity
rendered the more calamitous be-
cause of the unwise selection Of COM
mercials fertilizers when they be-
come absolutely necessary.
We mention all this as warning
to western farmers. In the timber
lands of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and
northern Michigan clover is as yet a
weed. 1t will grow wherever the
seed is sown, whether by accident
or otherwise, provided it can be COW
cred sufficiently in some way to Sc.
cure sufficient moisture for germina-
ton. In Iowa, Illinois, eastern Kan
sas and Nebraska, and most parts of
Missouri, it still grows luxuriantly;
but we warn our readers once more
that unless they keep up the humus
supply Of the soil, clover will sooner
or later refuse to grow and their
lands will become Glover sick" ;"
Many of our older readers will shake
their heads at this and say: eve
have grown clover for forty years,
and it grows quite as we'll, if not
better than ever" If SO, it is be
cause they have kept up the humus
supply, and this class Of readers
don't need our warning; but there
is another class (and large one)
who insist on growing grain and
selling it on the market, without re-
sorting to rotation and the growth
of clover, and these men need to be
warned.
1t is very likely they will not
heed the warning. Grown up men
are good deal like boys. They will
not take the advice Of their fathers,
but prefer to go on and learn by
their.own sad experience and pay
the price; for real knowledge always
comes high. If so there is nothing
to do but to allow them to get theil
experience in this hard way. 1t is
however, the part of an agricultural
paper that looks upon its entire ter
ritory as its farm to warn farmers O
what is inevitable under any certain
course Of action. -Wallace's Farm
er.