Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1916-02-23
SWEET CLOVER.
Great Humus and Nitrogen Gatherer and
Next to Alfalfa as a Feed

Next to Alfalfa as a Feed
The growing of Sweet Glover in thl
county is interesting several of ou
most wide-awake farmers. In order t
give those who know nothing about i
some definite information we here re
produce some facts as set out in a lit
tie book published by the international
Harvester company. The title of tht
book is Sweet Glover no Longer ;
Desplsed Weed--a Valuable Crop.
The books can be had by sending five
cents to the International Harvester
Company, Chicago. Following are
some interesting points taken from the
book mentioned:
cit is an excellent crop to prepare
the land for alfalfa In heavy, hard and
poor soils.
''Its roots being softer than alfalfa,
sweet clover becomes inoculated more
readily than alfalfa.
"lt does not stool as much as alfalfa
The shoots start from the main stem
and on this account the moving ma.
chine should be set as high as possible,
so as to leave plenty of small shoots to
start the next crop.
''It Will not bloat cattle or sheep.
This IS one of its chief advantages over
the other clovers. 1t lsea great milk
producer.
"Ground intended for alfalfa will be
greatly benefited by previously seeding
one and preferably two years to sweet
clover. as it inoculates the soil for al
falfa.
1T is available crop in rotation be-
cause it's roots decay very RAPIDLY, ad-
ding much humus to the soil and fur
nlshing much plant food.
cit is customary to turn stock on the
sweet clover in the early spring, when
1T Is young. There being no other
green feed they will soon become ac-
custoned to it and like 1t.
1T is a great soil enriching crop. A
great many of the experiments con-
ducteu to ascertain it's beneficial effects
prove that it is one of the greatest
crops we have for the soil.
cit is rich in feeding value. 1t con.
talns more protein than red clover and
equally as muc has alfalfa.
"lt will grow on land too wet or on
land too dry for alfalfa or red clover.
lit grows more rapidly than alfalfa
when young, produces good crop the
first year. and provides early green
pasture.
cit will stand more alkali or more
acid in the soil than alfalfa or red clo-
YER and produce crop.
ut thrlves where rainfall is heaviest
and where rainfall IS too light to pro-
1uce many other crops.
"It needs firm solid seed bed. The
ground should not be loose. Many of
It's failures on cultivated land have
oeen due TO loose mellow seed bed.
1T seeds freely in humid as we'll as
n dry sections.
1T will grow in many of the South
,rn States where red clover tails.
"It makes an excellent green ma
lure.
1t grows best on soil containing
plenty Of lime.
perhaps one of the greatest advan-
ages of sweet clover is its ability to
hrive on almost any type of soil and
lnder almost any climatic conditions.
1T should not be allowed to stand
90 long. as 1t becomes woody and loses
Is leaves. 1t should be cut when 18 to
U inches high and before it blossoms,
f it is to be used for hay.
at is a weed IN waste places only.
t never damages cultivated crops.
"It is almost impossible to kill out
y over-pasturing, but very easy to
radicate by proper cultivation.
"As soil builder it IS excellent, for
very two years the old plants die,
eaving holes 8 to 20 inches deep and
4 to IL inch in diameter, filled with
brous roots which permit the water to
nter the subsoll.
lit Is a biennial, completing its
rowth the second year and then dy-
,g. Under favorable conditions 1t
lay reach a growth of from five to
velve feet the second year.
A FEW DON'TS. |,
Don't plow deep.
Don't SOW deep. II
Don't cut low in mowing-at least