The Hartford republican., 1913-05-02
SEEDING GRASS LANDS
Too Much Importance Cannot Be
Given to Pure Seed.
Valuable Characteristic Of AisIte
Glover 10 That II Will Stay in
Soil Several Years sno Will
Re-seec itself.
By r.. G. wEATHERsToNE.


Too much importance cannot be
given TO the selection of pure grass
seed. for there is no greater failure OF
disappointment in farm management
than 10 fail to secure q good stand Of
grass or clover.
Every year ] an becoming more
and more fnvorably impressed with
the value OF alsike clover. although we
have used il for q number OF years II
all Of our grass and seeo mixtures.
We have repeatedly failed TO secure
@ favorable stand Of common REQ
clover. and 10 our surprise the alsike
would come along and make q good
stand and we would be enabled TO
harvest q very profitable grass crop.
Many times red clover will not thrive
for the reason that the soil mas be-
come somewhat acid. but the alsike
will make q very good crop notwitb-
standing the acid condition OF the soil.
Another valuable characteristic OF
alsike clover is the fact thai II will
stay in the soil several years, and II
permitted II will reseed itself Alsike
clover grows but little after moving
and nc second crop can be expected
from Il Both IN this respect, ar well
as the longer time II requires To ma
ture its maximum crop, alsike clover
stands after REQ clover.
Its great anc undeniabie advantage,
or the other hand, lies il the fact
that IL liz more hardy than the com
mon red clover and can be success
fully cultivated on moist soils and
hand that is flooded III certain times
during the year, on which red clover
will not grow.
II aisike clover seed ie mixed with
pasture grass mixtures, II yields rich
and certain grazing crops, and when
cultivated Oh arabic land REQ clover
seed should be sowed with the mix
ture with which the field is seeded.
In this way o great advantage is
gained in tine fact that the FIRST year
after sowing the fodder may be mar
vested chiefly consisting Of the red
clover and in the following years after
the red clover begins 10 deteriorate
the alsike comes in. in its place, and
Yields rich ano certain crops, together
with the timothy and otbe- grass
seeds with which the meadow Is
seeded.
While alsike does not yield as large
crops 10 the acre as common red
clover OF equal stand. yet II Is very
profitable, and il actual feeding value
! have found but little differences Inn
Tor ton when II was being fed 10 q
herd Of dairy COWS. and for feeding
horses and all kinds Of young stock
have found il greatly superior The
time Of cutting anC curing vii make
more real difference than the variety.
Alsike clover is not considered by
soil experts 10 be as good q soil im-
proving crop as common red clover
for the reason that il lacks the
branching root system Of the RED
clover. but il is legume nitrogen
gatherer) and hence will build up
the soil and thrive Oh many soils
where the red variety cannot be used
as & nitrogen gatherer.
II is my honest opinion that there
are 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
II is better business proposition to
SOW & mixture Of grass seed that will
make q certain stand under the usual
conditions than 10 spend large
amounts Of hard-earned money TO ex-
pertinent with crop 30 uncertain as
red clover, on any field where II is
not practically sure 10 make L good