The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-04-11


some Of the thin spots. or the whor
field may possibly be SO badly dan
aged that it will be necessary to plow
1t up.
Curing Glover Hay.
Clover should be cut as soon as it is
heads have turned brown. Ii cut ear
lier it is sappy and hard to cure. If
left later it becomes woody. AS soon
as the cut clover has wilted little in
the sWath it should be thrown togeth-
er into light windrows, preferably with
a side delivery rake Cured in this
way the leaves are less liable to be-
come brittle and shake off. Well cured
clover leaves are almost as valuable
for feed as bran, 50 care shonld be
taken to save as many of them as pos
siblc AS soon as the hay has cured
sufficiently in the windrow it should
be gathered up with Il loader-if one
can be had-and put in the barn.
Glover has the reputation of being Il
troublesome crop to harvest. and many
farmers are shy Of it on that account
1t is true that clover growing for profit
demands a good deal Of intelligence.
but that is also the very factor which
brings success in all agricultural en-
tcri,rises. With proper attention to the
habit Of the plant and with the exer
else of Il medicum of Judgment in its
culture and harvesting there is nothing
RI, hf. fnarn FIR thu outcome
Where it is desired to obtain a crop
Of seed the second crop should be used.
The first crop seldom fills well and is
always more valuable for hay than
for seed Most thrashing machines
have Il clover hhlling attachment. 1t
should be carefully adjusted SO as to
get all the seed. a bushel to bushcl
ard Il half of seed per acre is good
yield The yield Of hay is from one to
two tons to the acre for the first crop
and little more than half as much
fer the second crop Where the fields
are fenced the second crop may often
be paStured to advantage
.Alsike clover finds place on land
that is too wet for the red variety It
d"cs not yield as well. but it makes
better pasture BY loosening up the
sod in the low corners of the pasture
with the disk and sowing four pounds
nj aisiile 20 the acre its value may he
greatly increased. In seeding field to
red clover it is well to scatter little
alsike in the low spots. 1t will be sure
to grow whether the other does or not
Handling Alfalfa.
What has been said about alfalfa
does not mean that it is not to be
grown at all except in the drier re-
gicns of the west, but that it is to be
Introduced into new regions carefully
and on small scale The surest way
to get a stand of alfalfa is to fallow the
land during the spring and early sum
mer. About the middle Of July a seed
bed may be prepared and the alfalfa
| sown at tho rate Of twenty to twenty
| five pounds to the acre If the ground
! Is not too dry stand will usually be
secured in this way. since the falloy-
ing viii haze destroyed most Of the
weeds The objection to this plan is
that no crop is obtained from the land
that year
/ A more economical way is to start
with Il crop Of early oats or barley As
soon as this is harvested { he land
.hould be disked thoroughly and the
| alfalfa seed sown. If the ground is SO
| dry ard hard that the disk Will not
take hold it will have to be plowed
The main thing is to get the seed In as
/ quickly as possible. The chances OF
securing stand are much improved
If thin dressing of manure is given
the lard before sowing After the al
faifa once gets a start it is very hardy
and good yielder. giving four to six
tons of hay a year. 1t should be cut
when about one-tenth Of the plants are
III bloom. The second spring dish
run over the field will split up thu
crowns and thicken the stand, discour
eging the weeds and loosening the sol
Is well.