Evening journal., 1913-07-18
Prof. Grdnfham Gives Advice
on Crimson Clover Culture

together or bake, the plants may fail
TO get through. The general practice
is TO cover the seed.
Fertilizers-Like other clovers,
crimson clover Is a heavy feeder OF
mineral plant food. phosphoric acid
and potash especially the latter To
soils lacking these elements in avail
able form must be added some fer
tilizer for the clover. The general
practice is to apply the fertilizer to
the regular crop only the clover
feeding on the residue in THE soil.
Where the ground is in good condi-
ton and properly feftilized for corn
and tomatoes. no fertilizer need be
applied for clover following the
crops. In order to get a start on
poor sandy soils it will be necessary
to apply some phosphoric acid and
potash Three 10 four hundred
pounds per acre of a mixture of equal
parts of acid phosphate and kainit
should be sufficient heterogeneous fer
tillzer is not needed save in extreme
conditions. and then only for start
ing growth. When sown on open
ground, it Will pay in most cases to
use some mineral fertilizer In any
case, the minerals are not lost and
viii be available for succeeding crops.
Some growers claim good success
from top-dressing the clover with
acid phosphate and potash late In
February and March This promotes
a thrifty growth. and less fertilizer
need be applied for the following
corn crop. The standard fertilizer
for corn, where crimson clover is
turned under is a mixture Of acid
phosphate and muriate Of potash or
kainit.
The value of lime for stimulating
growth, or correcting soil conditions
for crimson clover, does not seem to
be fully decided by growers. Ex-
periments indicate that lime is Of
benefit on soils of a clay type How
ever, as most of the crimosn. clover
is grown on a sandy loan type of soil,
IL Is possible that better soil ventila-
tion and aeration prevents an ex-
tremely acid condition, and hence the
failure to note marked results from
lime on that type of soil.
Inoculation--On soils where Grim
son clover has not been previously
grown, il is advisable 10 inoculate.
The futures for inoculation may be
secured from the u S. Department of
Agriculture or from commercial
firms. Another method of inooulation
I is through the introduction of soil
from a field where crimson clover
has been successfully grown as indi-
Gated by the nodules on the roots.
Two or three hundred pounds Of this
soil thoroughly mixed with an equal
quantity of ordinary soil, will give
sufficient bulk to enable even distri-
button over an acre
Sow Good Seed-The failure TO get
satisfactory stand Of crimson clio
yer is often attributable 10 low grade
seed. A poor stand results either
from seed that will not grow. OF from
the presence of considerable weed
seed or foreign material The lack
Of vitality may be due 70 the seed
being harvested too early, to heating
TO molding before rnreshing or Ia
age. When the seed is fresh, IL is o.
a bright reddish yellow color and hal
a high polish The color changes t
a rusty brown with age and become,
dull and lustreless. peed of dull an
pearance should be carefully exam
ined. All crimson clover seed should
be tested for termination before SOW
! ing. The fact that seed is fresh is nc
guarantee that IL will grow A good
grade of crimson clover seed should
germinate SO to 50 per cent. Seed over
year old is likely 10 deteriorato
rather rapidly. Native grown seed is
usually better than that imported
Crimson clover is not commonly adul-
terated; at any race, Il may be read
lily identified by the color, and by IL,
almost oval shape which viii allow il
1 TO roll easily from a smooth surface
AT present is a very good time to
make extensive sowings Of crimson
clover, as the seed is somewhat lower
than it has been for a number OF
years.