The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-04-28
SEVERAL Ways
FOR CLOVER
TO BE USEFUL
To the Farmer in Springtime
Pointed Out in a Govern
ment Bulletin.

"A number OF ways IN Wn1cn the early
appearance of crimson clover In the
spring can be turned to the farmer's
advanta arc pointed out in a new
publication of the United States De-
partment of Agriculture, Farmers
Rulletin SCI. crimson Glover Uttli-
zatfon" In the southern and centrai
Atlantic states this crop IS of parttc-
ular value. Generally speaking IL
suffers from severe winters IN the
North and from too great drynesS
west of the Mississippi river. In
than else where.
Crimson clover, says the bulletin,
has two great advantages. 1t is an
excellence fertilizer and can be USED
for pasture and hay before any other
green growth is available, the lana
being then sown with an ordinary
summer-grown crop. The clover IT.
self can be sown toward the end OF
the summer on land where such late
crops as corn or tomatoes are still
under cultivation. It's use, there
fore, does not interfere with other
products and its benefits cost little
tut the labor and seed involved.
BE PIowed Under.
To obtain a full value of crimson
clover as a fertilizer, the entire
green crop should be plowed under
thus adding to the soil large guam
tity of nitrogen and humus, or de-
cayed vegetable matter. The poorer
the land the greater is the beneht
that the succeeding crop derives from
this process. A yield of thirty
bushels Of corn per acre may ordl-
narily be increased by crimson CLOVER
to forty-five, but on richer land an
increase of more than ten bushels IS
uncommon. A convenient method OF
calculation is to consider iulI
crop of crimson clover, weighing
with roots and tops, about ten tons
an acre, as the equivalent OF dis
tribution of eight tons of fresh barn
yard manure to an acre. In this
way the soil is greatly enriched each
year without interfering In any way
with the regular money crops, such
as corn. cotton or tomatoes.
1t is, however, by no means neces-
sary to sacrifice the entire crop OF
crimson clover to ferti1izing purpos-
es. Excellent results can be obtained
by ploughing under merely the roots
and stumble. 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 ordl-
nary grass is sufficiently far advanced
to be available, or for hay which can
be gathered IlIlG " AeaNC NAS @SSAA@
free for another crop.
Crimson clover intended for hay
must, however, be cut at the right
moment, when the most advanced
heads are 'eginning to show fadeo
flowers at the base. At this stage
the plants contain the maximum
amount of protein and dry matter,
while the leaves are ~t'll present ana
the stems comparatively green.
the harvest Is put on, the short mars
on the stems and flower heads be-
coma dry and stiff. In this stage
there is danger that they may form
hard, dry hair balls in the intestinal
tracts of horses and mules to Wnicn
the bay is fed. These hair balls,
solid compact felt-like structures,
nearly always cause death. Eary
cutting, however, and Judtctous mix
ing with other hay will obv1ate TINS
difficulty to great extent, ana un.
der any circumstances, cattle are
rarely affected. BY dairymen crimson
clover hay is considered roushage
feed fully equal If not superior. to
either red or alsike clover.
Early Pasturing.
For early pasturing crimson clo-
yer is even more satisfactory, US
chief draw back being the limited
period in which it can be utilized Tor
this purpose. 4ulS PCAl
is ample to enable the ordinary
grass pastures to attain growth
which will greatly increase their car
rying capacity lager in the season.
After the cattle are removed, the IN
eaten plants and the manure left be
hind are ploughed under, the ma
nure Of course, forming a valuable
addition to the fertilizing effect OF
the clover.
Fertilizer.
therefore, crimson clover offers It
self 10 farmers at time when the
ORDINARY summer-grown crops are
mot ayalab Bile. incidentally, 1t should
he said. this clover is valuable Tor
poultry. A tubful of handicapped
leaves thrown into the poultry yar1
will provida the chickens with the
best possfble green food at a season
when eggs are ordinarily high and
everything that promotes laying Is
most welcome. Small patches o.
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 tne
soils and sections best adapted 10
the purpose are discussed in pre-
yious publication of the Department
of Agriculture, Farmers Bulletin
$50, '9Crimson Glover: Utilization
will be sent free on request.
The towers of the Panama cathe-
dral are rooted with pearl shells,
which reflect the sunlight so that they