The Prescott daily news., 1915-04-10
LESPEDEZA OR JAPAN CLOVEF

Lespedeza Is a native of eastern Asia. It was first found in this coun- try In central Georgia in 1846. It has spread since that time so that it GOV CTS more or less abundantly all of the area from central N. Y. westward to Kansas and South to the Gulf of Mex leo.
 Lespedeza is an annual. which be- gins its growth in the middle of the spring and natures in the latter part of September and the first part of Oc- tober. It is easily distinguished by its purple blossom which appears sometime in August. On most of the area now growing Lespedeza, the average growth is from five to seven inches. Because of its small growth it is considered a grazing and not a l hay crop. Under favorable conditions however, and on good and fairly moist soil, it reaches from eight to fourteen inches and when cultivated it grows sixteen to twenty-four inches and yields three to four tons per acre. Under such conditions the value of this clover is being more and more Appreciated so that many farmers are using it in regular rotation When using the clover for hay it is best to make but one cutting year, because more will be gotten at the one cutting than if cut twice. By one cutting and that in September, there will be enough seed ripe so that while cutting and raking they will scatter out and reseed for the next year.
 For Pasture.
 The value of lespedeza for pasture was very early recognized. Its abil- ity to grow on any type of soil, in field and in open woodland, to with stand severe drouth, besides its high feeding value, which approaches alfal- ia, it's palatability, thriving under al most any conditions, standing any amount of pasturing, and lasting until | hllled by lIo"l III lllc ldil nave aiA hi- creased its value.
 The very best pastures found in the South are those consisting of l,Spe- dza and Burmuda. A pasture that can be grazed the year round cah be gotten by the addition of sweet clover. vetch and bur clover for they will | ha intA a Lespedepa and Burmuda in the sum mer. It is a safe estimate to say that Lespedeza has increased the ear rying capacity of the pastures here in the South by one fourth. Because of | it's ability to reseed it's self there is no seed to seed the permanent pasture, l but in old pasturs infested with weeds | it is best to crop them for year or two and then seed down to Lespedeza. IAll land that has been cultivated will stand idle for any length of time but stand idle for any lenght of time but on such land if a stand is desired it will be gotten quicker by seeding.
 Lespedeza as Farm Crop
 At the present time Lespede2a IS Ibeing more and more used as a reg ular farm crop. The seed are sown when desired and in keeping with the rotation. On anything like favorable soils and with good treatment 1t gives high yields and proves most protl- table crop. Lespedeza is like all other legumes in that it extracts nitrogen from the air by means of its bacterial tubercules on the roots. LespedeZa seldom needs innoculation because 1t is naturally innoculated by other spe- lcies of the same plant. Experiment stations and farmers have worked out some good rotations. The following are two good rotations. In the one cotton is used; in the other 1t IS omitted:
 Cotton, corn, oats, and Lespedeza. This may either be used a four or live year rotation. The cotton Is plant ed one year, the next year the same ground is in corn with cowpeas in the middles, oats follow the corn in the fall and the next spring before the oats start very much growth SOW broadcast about eighteen pounds of Lespedeza seed and then run section harrow ovef it. In this way the clov- CT is covered as deep as it needs to be. The harrow should be set so that the teeth are nearly parallel with the ground. The oats should have been drilled and will act as a nurse crop