The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-12-31
CLOVER FIELDS OF j. w. SCOTT
Grand Forks Herald

Grand Forks Herald
The clover fields of j. w. Scott, of
Gilby, have become famous, all over the
country. For years Mr.. Scott has been
experimenting with clover, and he has
demonstrated, not only that it can be
grown, but that it can be grown sue
cessfully in North Dakota. Mr.. Scott
tells the story of some clover expert
ments, as follows;
line first crop on the field was cut for
hay July 7th, and the second crop was
cut for seed September Goth, and
threshed out three bushels of seed per
I acre on 30 acres. The threshing was
done with an ordinary threshing ma
chine, which got nearly all the seed.
The land was what we call old land,
having grown 25 crops of grain in 27
years. two of which were corn. The
land was summer followed two years out
OF the 27.t The seed was sown with the
grass seed attachment to single disc
drill, three quarts of clover, three quarts
of timothy, and one and one-fourth
bushels OF wheat being used per acre.
The wheat was used as nurse crop,
and in my judgment, after growing
clover for over ten yeals, wheat is the
best crop for this purpose.
The land was inoculated by Joe Wings
method by means of stable manure.
The manure was spread on the blowing
during the previous winter, then har-
rowed and seeded as soon in the spring
as the ground was in fair condition for
seeding. The manure does not inter-
fere with seeding with disc drill.
During the years that I have been
trying to grow clover I have expert
mented with several methods. For two
years | used the nitro culture furnished
and recommended by the agricultural
department at Washington for inocu-
latlng the seed, using it just as directed
by the department, and sowing a por-
ton of the seed treated with the cul-
ture, and leaving a portion untreated.
In both years I was unable to find any
difference IN crop where the treated
and the untreated seed was sown.
have sown each year not less than a
quarter section of land with clover end
timothy, and as result of my expert
ence have come to the conclusion that
clover will germinate and come up in
our Red river valley land without in
oculation, but that is nearly as far as
it will get. It never made a crop for
me without inocnlation by means OF
stable manure. There have been spots
on the unmanured fields where the clov-
er was good, but I am convinced that
these spots had received droppings OF
horse manure. On such spots, on dig
ging up nhe roots of the healthy clover
plants have always found large nod.
ules, while there were no nodules in
the roots of puny clover plants. but q
few feet away. Hence I have concluded
that there must be some form Of inocu
lation before clover will thrive on oul
soil, and the manure method is the ONT
that has been successful with me, anc
the one that ] recommend especially fol
men who have passed the three.scor,
mark, and who wish to live to see .th.
result Of their work.
1 Another way to inoculate the sol
though it is not as quick as the manur'
plan, is to SOW quart or two of Glove
seed with q sufficient amount Of timoth.
to secure good stand Of timothy.
COW four qnarts per acre cutting on
Or two crops Of timothy snd clover
\ You get anyscloyer- for hay, then breal
]. up the sod, COW TO grain, and g soon !
y you get the timothy sod subdnsd %,
Z theland in good condition, sow agai1
/. to wheat with ~ sufficient amount !
i clover seed psr acrs 70 got ) good stand
7 I have never own more than tsu
& Iqpafts of cloysr Sssd per aors. "a thi
j ~ i an surs you yill Ut : csop
N the land = not - poof % ssow 4 On,