The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1914-05-08

new bulIeun OF tne department Oh
Agriculture Describes Its Value as
Early Pasturage and Soil Impror-
er.
A number OF ways in which the
early appearance of crimson clover
in the spring can be turned to the
farmers advantage are pointed out
in a new publication of the United
States Department OF Agriculture,
Farmers Bulletin 579, Crimson
Glover Utilization" In the Southern
and Central Atlantic States this crop
is of particular value. Generally speak
i'm il suffers from the severe winters
In the north and from too great dry
ness west Of the Mississippi. In
Florida also 1t has proved less sue
cessful than elsewhere.
Crimson clover, says the bulletin,
has two great advantages. 1t Is an
excellent fertilizer and it can be used
for pasture and hay before any other
green growth is available, the land
being then sown with an ordinary
summer-grown crop. The clover it
self can be sown Onward the end OF
the summer on land where such late
crops az corn or tomatoes are still
under cultivation Its use, therefore,
does not interfere with other pro-
ducts and its benefits cost little but
the labor and seed involved.
TO obtain the full value OF crimson
clover as fertilizer, the entire green
crop should be plowed under, thus
adding to the soil largo quantity or
nitrogen and humus, or decayed Vege-
table matter. The poorer the land
the greater iB tho benefit that the
succeeding crop derives from this
process. A. yield OF 30 bushels of
corn per acre may ordinarily be- in
creased by crimson clover to As, but
on richer land 81 increase OF more
than 10 bushels In uncommon. a
convenient method Of calculation is
to consider full crop or crimson
clover, weighing with roots and tops,
about 10 tons an acre, as the
equivalent OF distribution OF s tons
OF fresh barnyard manure to an acre.
In this way the soil ia greatly en-
riched each year without interfering
in any way with the regular money
crops, such as corn, cotton, or to
matoes.
1t is, however, by no means neces-
sary to sacrifice the entire crop OF
crimson clover to fertilizing purposes.
Excellent results can be obtained by
ploughing under merely the roots
and stubble. This 1t is estimated re-
turns to the soil 40 per cent as much
nitrogen as the green crop. When
this is done the clover itself can be
used either for PASTURE. before ordi-
nary grass il sufficiently far advanced
to be available, or for hay which can
be gathered in time to leave the land
free for another crop.
Crimson clover intended for hay
must, however, be cut at the right
moment, when the most advanced
heads are beginning to show faded
flowers at their base. AT this stage
the plants contain the maximum
amount OF protein and dry matter,
while the leaves are still present and
the stems comparatively green. If
the harvest IL put Off, the short hairs
on the stems and flower heads be-
come dry and stir. In this stage
there is danger that they may form
hard hair balls in the intestinal
tracts Of horses and mules to which
the hay is fed. These hair balls,
solid, compact felt-like structures,
IACnLAy d4WdyC uGdIn.
cutting, however, and judicious mix
ing with other hay will obviate this
difficulty to a great extent. and,
under any circumstances, cattle are
rarely affected. BY dairymen, Grim
SON clover hay is considered a rough
age feed fully equal if not superior
to either red or alsike clover.
For early pasturing crimson clover
fe, ia. 10
drawback being the limited period in
which it can be utilized for this pur-
pose. This period, however, is
ample to enable ordinary grass pas
lures to attain growth which will
greatly increse their carrying
capacity later in the season. After
the cattle are removed, the uneaten
plants and the manure left behind
are ploughed under, the manure OF
course, forming a valuable addition
to the fertilizing effect Of the clover.
As pasture, hay or fertilizer, there
fore, crimson clover offers itself to
farmers at a time when the ordinary
summer-grown crops are not avail
able. Incidentally, it should be said,
\ this clover il valuable for poultry. "a
tubful of Handicapped leaves thrown
into the poultry yard will provide the
chickens with the best possible green
food at a season when eggs are Or
dinarily high and everything that
promotes laying is most welcome.
Small patches of crimson clover are,
in fact, grown by poultry raisers for
this purpose alone.
Methods of growing the crop, the
preparation OF the seed bed. and the
soils and selections best adapted to
the purpose are discussed in pre-
vious publication or the Department
of Agriculture, Farmers Bulletin $50,
Crimson Glover; Growing the Crop"
Both this bulletin and the new bulle-
tin Crimson Glover; Utilization" will
be sent free on request
Conserving Our Strength.
This Il the time or the year when 1t