Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1910-07-27
CRIMSON CLOVER.
Timely Article Upon Planting
Crimson Clover as Winter
Cover Crop. Lay Your
Plans.

H ID uDI do NPOo0
mel SO will crimson clover and 9TH
er legumes increase the fertility of
the soil in winter, besides making
hay of superior quality. The fol
lowing timely article upon planting
crimson clover as a winter cover
crop is from the last issue OF the
Progressive Farmer, of Raleigh:
It is generally known that most
fegnmes do better on soils contain.
inc considerable lime, and some of
them positively refuse to make salts
factory growth except on what are
popularity called lime soils, 1t has
even been suggested that the IRE
.orent failures with crimson clover
are largely due to a lack of lime in
the soil This seems to US very
seaproba5le, for we hive seen splen-
did crops of it on the Coastal Plain
sandy lands of North Carolina
where there is certainly little lime,
and also on soils in Mississippi and
Alabama which are deficient in car
lbonste of lime 1t may be more
easy to obtain the necessary inoeu-
sstion .onEime soils, but we believe
crimson clover may be successfully
,groza on almost any southern soil
that is sufficiently wei drained to
Crow the eonmon crops and Is not
sassitiyely sour. Like most other
crops. it will do best on a rich soil
Time to Sow.
One Of the chief obstacles to the
extensive growth of crimson clover
is the uncertainty of getting a stand
of vigorous plants. This difficulty,
granting the soil is inoculated, is
probably oss due to the dry wealth
er during the fall, 50 characteristic
of the Cotton Belt, Early, say in
July and August, there is sufficient
raoisture to bring up the plants, but
If hot, dry weather follows they
may die, They are more likely to
Ae if the soil is not properly moe
uIated, but exea when the soil is
known 10 be inoeuaaA ea 3 stand is
frequently lostI August apa Sep
tenher Ire unusually hot andsaFg,
On he other hand, if tbssoWlng De
.,,,. off until lste in the fall there
NAV rot be sufficient moisture to
bring ~ s4e plants and enable them
to- make ths necessary growth to
Withstand the early winter freezes.
Too late planting, OF too eSEty plant
inc is. therefore, rather risky; baatt
there is no time when difficulties may
not heereoaptered. The latter part t
81, September end the first half OF
October would seesa the most ia
vorable season, if there be ~s9qAHSeeient
moisture in the ground. in soils
we'll supplied with hunGs and prop;
erly prepared, such moisture Will
asaslly exist, but this Is not always
the case
Preparation of the Soil.
A freshly prepared soil is best, blt
the crop is probably of most value
~ q winter cover for cotton lands.
The soil is in best condition in the
cotton field at the time of the last
cultivation of the crop; but this is
usually too early for the greatest
safety in securing q stand that will
withstand the hot dry weather OF
August and September. 1t is, there.
fore, probably advisable to freshen
up the surface Immediately after the
6rster SECOND picking, sow the seed
and cover lightly with side harrow
OF shallow-runnipg cpltiyator.
Seed.
When crimson clover seed could
be purchased for from So to 81 2
bgshel of so pounds, and Is or &c
poRpds per acre sowed, the cost
was extremely reasonable; but with
seed now selling Cor double, that
price the advice to first prove that
YOU can grow it successfully on
small area becomes especially inn
portank
The seed deteriprate more or less
iapidity and consequently care
should be taken to obtain fresh
seed, shown by their bright, shiny
appearance, or a test should be
made of their terminating qualities
before they are sowed.
incubation.
We know of no legume which
more positively refuses to. make
anything like a satisfactory growth
without the soil being vel. %inocula
ted with the germs that. live on its
roots and enable # to. get it's nitro
gen from the air. # every othe'
instruction is followed except thu
and failure results, do not blame u
OF crimson CLOVER. The fault vii
be yours. !.
Where the bacteria are lacking
requires repeated seedlings on tn
same land 2 OF 3 years, or that tn
germs be put in the soil direct, t,
secure satisfactory incubation. 4