The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1913-06-06
SEEDING GRASS LANDS
Too Much Importance Cannot Be
Given to Pure Seed.
Valuable Characteristic Of Alsike
Glover 10 That II viii Stay In
Soil Several Years and viii
Re.Seed Itself.
dBy Il. q. wEArHERsroNE)

(By X. q. WE.NTHEIiSToNE)
Too much Importance cannot be
given to the selection of pure grass
seed, for there il no greater failure or
disappointment In farm management
than TO fail to secure a good stand OF
grass or clover.
Every year | am becoming more
and more favorably impressed with
the value OF alsike clover. although No
have used IL for a number OF years IN
all OF our grass and seed miXturcs,
We have repeatedly failed to secure
a favorable stand OF common red
clover, and to our surprise he alsike
would come along and make a good
stand and we would be enabled to
harvest a very profitable grass crop.
Many times red clover will not thrive
tor the reason that the soil has be.
come somewhat acid, but the alsike
Viii make a very good crop notwith
standing the acid condition OF the soil.
Another valuable characteristic OF
alsiko clover IL the fact that 1t vii
stay IN the soil several years, and II
permitted IL will res"ed itself. Alsikc
clover grows but little after moving
and no second crop can be expected
rom Il, Both In this respect, as well
as the longer time It requires 20 ma
'ur" its maximum crop alsike clover
stands after red clover.
It's great ami uudoniable advantage,
ON the other hand, lies In the fac
that It is more hardy than the com
mon red clover and cau be success
fully cultivated on moist soils and
land that Is flooded at certain times
during the year. on which red clover
viii not grow.
II alsike clover seed is mixed with
pasture grass mixtures. 1t Yields rich
and certain grazing crops, and when
cultivated on arabic land red clover
seed should be- sowcd with the mix
turc with which the neld IL seeded.
In this way a great advantage is
gained In the fact that the FIRST year
after sowing the fodder may be- har-
vested chiefly consisting OF the red
clover and n the following years after
the red clover begins 70 deteriorate
the alsike ONE in, in It's place, and
Yields rich and certain crops. together
with the timothy and other grass
seeds with which the meadow Is
seeded
While alsikc docs not yield as large
crops TO the acr" as common red
clover OF equal stand, Vet 1t is very
profitable and In actual feeding value
have found but little difference ton
tor ton when II was being fed 10 IA
nerd OF dairy cows, and for feeding
horses and all kinds OF young stock !
have found il greatly superior The
'Im" % cutting and curing viii make
more real dtftcrruc" than the variety.
.AlsIkr clover is not considered by
soil expert, TO be as good a soil i'm.
proving crop as common red clover
for n" reason that 1t lacks the
branching root system Of the red
clover, bu' II is a logumc nitrogen
Ealhererl and hence will build up
the soil and thrive on many soils
where IN" red variety cahnOt be used
as a nitrogen gathcrcr,
Il is my honest opinion that there
arr many farmers who have given up
growing clover VINO could make a
success OF growing alsike clover in
stead OF experimenting with red
clover.
/ have found In actual practice that
&, Is a better business proposition TO
suw a mixture 81 grass seed that will
MAKE a certain stand under tn" usual
conditions than 70 spend large
amounts OF ha~rd.earned money TO ex'
pertinent with II crop so uncertain as
red clover, on any acid where II Ii
not practically sure TO make n good
stand