The Prescott daily news., 1915-12-22
Forage Crops for Arkansas elGht Studies in Supplementary
 Farm Feeds.
Ill. CLOVER ERS.

should be increased many times. The clovers belong to that class of plants
 known as soil builders They have the power of using the free nitrogen from the air. This ability is due to the action of certain bacteria which form nodules on the clover roots. If these crops are grown and pastured off, turned under, or fed to livestock and the manure returned nitrogen will
 be added to the soil. When any of the clovers except Japan clovers are sown on land where they have never been before the soil should be inocu- lated with the soil method or by tie
 pure culture method.
 The clovers may be divided into three classes. First, those which live for two or more years as Red, Alsike,
 White or white blossomed sweet clo- yer. Second, summer annuals or those which are seeded in the spring and
 mature and die in the fall as Japan clover Third, winter annuals or those which are sown in the summer
 or fall and mature and die the fol- lowing summer as Bur and crimson clover. Each group has it's place in the cropping system.
 | Red Glover lasts for only two years under ordinary conditions unless it is allowed to reseed itself It makes it's best growth on clay loam soil. Good 1 drainage and liberal supply of lime | in the soil is essential The usual
 rate of seeding is 12 to 15 pounds to 1 the acre when seeded alone or 6 to s pounds pere acre ir mixture with | grasses. Best results are usually SC, l cured by seeding in September, spring seeding may be done, but then there 1 is danger of damage to the young plants by the weeds or dry weather during the summer.
 Alsike clover is adapted to soils Of wet nature It will grow on soil that | is deficient in lime better than any or the other clovers. It Is often seeded
 in permanent pastures or meadows
 along with grasses on soils that are
 poorly drained. The usual rate of seeding IS to pounds per acre. | Japan clover or Lespedeza is a nat ural growth especially in the south and eastern part of Arkansas It does
 well Tn mixture with Bemuda, or | after oats and wheat. Seeding should
 be done the latter part of February or March. The seed may be broad. | casted on the Bermuda sod or on the
 wheat or oats and narrowed in. on
 wheat or oats seed at the rate of d | bushel per acre. Four or five pounds | per acre will serve as start on Der muda It will reseed itself each year | if given chance.
 Crimson and Bur Glover should
 be grown more than they are. They | grow when other crops are not grow ing. They hold the soil from wash ing. Plant foods that would be lost | during the winter and spring are taken up and retained. They furnish splendid pasture during the spring and sometimes during the winter. If pastured off or turned under they fur nish a large supply of humus and nit rogen to the soil. Both of these clo- vers should be seeded in the last of August or September. They may be broad-casted in the cotton or corn
 middles and covered with harrow. The rate of seeding Is Is pounds of crimson clover and two or three bush els of bur clover in the bur per acre. A bushel of bur clover in the bur weighs ten pounds.
 Bur clover is particularly adapted for growing with Bermuda. It fur nishes a pasture during the winter and spring when the Bermuda is not
 green. Part of the bur clover seed have a hard coat so that they may
 lay in the ground for several months before sprouting. Because of this fact the crops will reseed itself from
 year to year when once started if
 some of 1t is allowed to seed each spring. If sown late bur clover seed often germinate poorly. Mir. A. D. McNair has found that if the seed are 1 soaked in cold water, put in boiling
 water for just one minute, put back
 in the cold water, and sown. the per
 centage of germinauon will be Tn, creased many times.
 The following Farmers Bulletins
 should be read, Bur Clover Bulletin | No. 693, Sweet Glover" Bulletin No 4s5. Crimson Glover" No $50 and 597. Lespedeza or Japan clover, No | Al. These bulletins may be secured
 by writing to the Extension Depart ment, Fayetteville, Ark. or to the De