Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-12-18
WHY FARMERS SHOULD
SOW CRIMSON CLOVER.
Its Adaptabflity to Soil in This Sec
ton and Process of Handling.

Crimson clover has a wider adapt
ability to southern climate, soils and
cropping systems than any of the
other cloverss It is generally moi
only a surer crop than red, mammoth
and alsike clovers5 outside of the
more elevated sections, but will usu-
ally grow well under the conditions
best suited to the other %clovers.
The r~oot-system is comparatively
large and strong. 1t is made up Of
a branched tap root with many sec
ondary branches and fbrous roots
which penetrate the soil to the depth
of one to three feet. Tubercles APP
pear on the roots of the plants when
they are quite small. On an average,
the roots comprise about one-third
Of the whole plant. The full deyel-
opment of the roots of the plants are
reached some time before the tops.
With summer OF early fall sowing
the root growth to stem growth in
the fall is usually proportionally
larger than in the spring.
Although crimson clover is an an
nual it has a semi biennial habit as
il when sown in the summer or fall
will mature during the spring of the
following year. 1t is upright in its
habit of growth and under favorable
conditions attains a height of twenty
to thirty inches. From the crown Of
the root are developed four to thirty
or more erect branches on which j
larger amount of foliage is produced.
The stems and leaves are quite hairy.
The heads are terminal, being some
distance above the last leaves, and
arc somewhat longer than those
CT red clover. They are of a
rich, crimson color and are strikingly
beautiful in their appearance. The !
leaves are borne on long leaf stalks.
1t is much earlier in maturing than
red mammoth and alSike cloyers. 1t
grows late in the fall and starts |
growth early in the spring. The
plants grow rapidly during the latter
part of their development, producing
about one-half of their. growth dur
ing the last month before maturity,
and for this reason the stalks are
rather weak. 1t is quite susceptible
to drought and excessive cold.
Although this clover will grow on
e. good many types of soil, it does
its best growth usually on a warm,
sandy loan containing a good supply
of organic matter. 1t does not do
well on stiff and poorly drained soils,
nor does it generally succeed on
poor sandy soils devoid of organic
matter unless they fecei We liberal
cial fertilizer or barnyard manure
or both. These soils are naturally |
too draughty and the young plants
are more than likely to die for lack
of sufficient moisture. In sowing il
the fall on clay soils, it is important
that it be done sufficiently early for
the plants to become thoroughly es-
tablished before cold weather or else
they will be likely to heave. This !
will be apt to take place if the soil is
we'll drained, matters o what the
type of soil ofsseeding, especially if
the winter be severe. 1t is highly i
essential hat the seed-bed be fine
and mellow so that it will retain
moisture to terminate the seed and
supply the needs of the young plants
until they have. become we'll estah-
lished in the soil.
The seed should be sown at the rate
o. IL to 20 pounds per acre, the date
verying from August 18th to October
18th, with the different sections in the
and middle states, the more
southern the localities the later the
may take place. The seeding
may take place Don on a fertile
soil than a poor me-; and on a spec
tally prepared seed-bed than when
in some growing crop, like corn.
IL the clover is being grown especial
ly for seed a rather thin seeding is
preferable to a heavy seeding. 1t is
important that the plants make con
siderable growth before winter. The
seed may be sown in corn, cotton and
tobaccos as a catch crop and be high
ly covered with a harrow or weedef.
1t may follow truck, cowpeas or
small grains by breaking the land
land with a pillow or disk harrow suf-
ticiently thorough so that narrowing
will put the land in a fine mellow
condition, The seed should be sown
broadcast and be lightly covered By
means of a harrow or ,weeder. 1t