The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1912-03-08
SWEET CLOVER
By VIM. NJ. Martin.l

To enter into an exhaustive reioe o,
this legumen using scientive and techni
cal terms would be out of place in an
other than an agricultural journal.
| shall therefore endeavor to explain
this wonderful grass in practical way
There are more than dozen varieties
bnt the farmers of KY, will be interest
ed in the White and the Biennial yellow
kinds as these are the most useful fol
this climate. Sweet Clover may BIZ
classed as first cousin to alfalfa.
Sweet Clover is very hardy makes e
rank growth of stems, leaves and roots
but is not persistent, as it may be kill
ed easily by cutting it when in bloom.
1t continues like other perenniate from
year to year, without resolving.
These Clovers will thrive in almost
any kind of soil. 1t grows we'll in al
most fine sand. in loan hard rocky and
very poor clay soils. 1t will grow well
on hills, bottom lands, in well drained
and wet soils, as well as in alkaline and
nOn-alkaline soils.
1t adapts itself to most all conditions
Of climate, with standing the cold win
tiers and hard freezes of the Northern
states and Canada. The long hot sum-
mers of the South and the drought of
the western plains.
The name "Sweet Clover comes
from strong, distinct sweet fraeran-
ce of the bloom; also due to an ethereal
oil it possesses "cumarin"
Sweet Clover" is used for hay,
pasture and green manure, as well as
fertilizing and renovating old poor thin
soils.
The White Sweet Clover is a native
Of the avid regions of Asia, and in call
ed Bokhava Clover, because it is sup
posed to have originated in country by
that name, This grass has been cult
waited in Persia, Greece and Rome.
In America it was known as early as
the colonial period, and it is now grown
from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico
and from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
This plant, White Sweet Clover, is a
biennial requiring two years to mature
and bear seed. The first year it has no
bloom, it grows erect from to feet,
it bears heavy growth of three lobed
leaves and resembled alfalfa. 1t
stays green until the hard freezes come
The second year it comes from the
root very early in spring by June it
reaches height of about A feet. At
this stage it throws out number of
long lateral branches and the main
stem attains height of 8 to 10 feet.
The seed ripens early in Aug, and
are in close fitting pod on slender ra-
cemens to 4 inches long.
Of the yellow Sweet Clover, we as
farmers are only interested in tall cul-
tivated variety. The yellow does not
grow so tall as the White many prefer
this to the White for hay. This An
nual yellow or Indian Sweet Clover had
its origin in India.
The yellow Sweet Clover is the best
plant that grows for bees, and makes
finest honey ever tasted. Most of the
above remarks about the White are
also true of the yellow.
AS fertilizers nothing is equal to
these grasses. No other plants will
excel these in gathering and storing
nitrogen. No legumen will equal sweet
clover in furnishing humus, it is picked
in protein. These Clovers if properly
studied and cultivated will restore all
the thin and wasted lands of KY. in
or years, hide all the gullies and en-
rich the lands beyond belief. The
White is said to be the best for fer
tilizers, the Yellow for hay and forage.
There are two methods of sowing,
broadcast and drilling. In this country
there are no good drills, but drilling
is the better method. Broadcast SOW
ing may be done from late in the fall
to early spring.
The months Dec, Jan, Feb, and
March are best for sowing broadcast
Thin clover may be sown with spring
oats, wheat and barley, the seed may
be sown in April if seed bed is pre-
pared when they should be covered
lightly with drag on harrows.
Amount of seed per acre depends
upon whether it is sown for hay, pas
ture, or green manure. A medium
stand the first year will become a
thick stand abe second when it comes
from the roots, and heavy stand the
first year will be entirely too thick the
second year to reach a normal growth
and development of the plant. For
hay bushel will sow three acres, the