The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1916-02-10
L. 0. Kjelland Tells
Sweet Glover Value

In the past few years sweet clover
which had for years been regarded as
a weed pest has come into prominence
by it's great value as forage crop and
soil remover, as well as it's ability to
grow on the poorest of land. 1t has a
number of different uses. It is grown
for hay, ensilage, pasture, for removal
ing wornout soils, as it's root system,
which is far-reaching, will break up the
the subsoil, making it friable; it may
be turned under for green manure and
is used extensively for a bee pasture.
So great has been the demand for it
that the price of the seed has gone up
to point that is startling. Recently
it has been discovered that it will
grow perfectly on alkali land, which is
going to make it of paramount value
in certain sections of North Dakota.
In view of the great interest in this
clover, the Times-Record has arranged
with l.. O. Kjelland for a series of
articles on sweet clover. Mr. KEEL
land is the pioneer sweet clover grow
er of Barnes county and picture of
one of his fields appear in the current
catalog Of the Northern Seed Co. AL
though the catalog does not say so, the
clover shown in that picture was over
a mans head.
Mr.. Kjelland has been growing sweet
clover for several years and his ex-
perience has made him an enthusiast
regarding it. He finds that it grows
anywhere and that stock eat it greed
lily after becoming accustomed to it.
In view of these facts the following is
of more than ordinary interest:
How to raise clover is very import
ant question in Barnes county, To be
in the clover belt, is as desirable as
to be in the corn belt. Twenty-six
years ago, in farmers Institutes, the
reason given why red clover would
not grow was that the land was wild.
Getting the Indian out of the land"
was the phrase used, as many will re-
member. Now the Indian is out and
SO is much of the fertility. But red
clover, except in favored localities does
not grow better now than it did then.
If the question is repeated now the
answer given will be that the winters
are too severe. This last reason is
not more correct that the first.
have been trying to raise red clov-
er for rs years and have had more
clover summer killed than winter kill
ed. Red Glover is at home in the hui
mid belt and will dry out undeer our
semi-arid conditions and deficiency of,
vegetable matter in the soil. We must
look for clover adapted to our con-
ditions. For permanent meadows moth
ing beats alfalfa, but that is not suit
able for pasture and a short rotation.
Sweet clover will prove itself best
adapted to our needs and climatic con.
ditions. Any farmer who can set aside
prejudice and give it a fair trial will
soon convince himself that it is no
weed, but wonderfully valuable plant. |
Sweet clover does best on alkaline
land, but will grow on any land in
Barnes county above water and not too
much shaded by large trees. 1t is easy
to get stand and may be pastured
two months after seeding or if left
to late October will yield crop of hay
SURPRISING oats in feeding value. The
second year it will pasture more stock
than any other forage. Being rich in
protein, it is the best grass for milk
cows, mares with colts and all young
stock
When cut in time and cured right
sweet clover makes more hay per acre
than it's nearest relation, alfalfa. It!
equals alfalfa in feeding value and is
readily eaten by all kinds of stock.
For destroying weeds and enriching