Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-05-30
prepared by the United States Depart
mant OF Agricultural


MelilOtuS or sweet clover, grows
Iuxuriantiy in soil well supplied with
lime. 1t is one of the greatest soil
builders among leguminOus plants. 1t
grows vigorously on very thin land II
lime is present, and If undisturbed. af-
ter being well seeded, will restore bar
rem and depleted soils to a state of
productivity.
MelilOtus is abundant in the black
prairie region of the South, even where
the lime rock is only thinly covered
with soil.
tus-the biennial white. the biennial
yellow and the annual yellow. The
last named is of little value.
Melilotus generally should be sOwn
In February and March at the rate of
20 pounds per acre of hulled or one
half bushel of unhulled seed. Both bi-
ennial varieties make fairly good
growth the first season, live through
the winter and mature seed the second
season, after which the plant dies.
After field is once thoroughly seeded,
both the first and the second years
growths occupy the ground each sea
son.
In Kentucky and other states of like
latitude where melilotus is well eStab-
lished 1t is common to pasture lightly
until the second years growth is ap.
preaching maturity, when the stock is
removed and the crop is later cut as
hay or allowed to mature as seed
crop. In states well to the South one
cutting for hay is commonly made the
first season after sowing and two or
three cuttings during the second sea-
son. When cut early before the stems
are hard and woody, melilotus hay is
Of good quality and valuable for feed
ing. The flavor of the plant. however,
both green and cured, Is such that ami
mails often will not eat it until trained
to do so.
Red Glover.
Red clover, which is very prOmi-
nent leguminOus crop in the North, Is
not well adapted to the southern eli
ihttC' AI'NSNti, VII III viz ooifo
rich in lime, such as the alluvial and
black prairie lands and well-drained
river bottoms, red clover makes good
hay crop for one or two seasons.
For the far South red clover should
be sOwn about the middle of Septem-
Der on thoroughly prepared seed bed.
No nurse crop should be used in this
section. In the northern part Of the
cotton belt seeding is sometimes sue
cessful when- done on grain fields in
early spring. About twelve pounds of
seed per acre should be used. When
red clover yields well In the South,
from two to three cuttings of hay of
from one to one and one-half tons each
may be expected.
AIsike Glover.
In manner and growth alsike clover
Is midway between red clover and white |
clover. 1t will do fairly we'll on some |
soils where red clover fails for need of |
line. 1t also grows on some soils |
which are too poorly drained for sue
'ess with red clover. 1t is a good plant |
OF USE III HllAtu pitStuTcS, ana uDueT |
favorable conditions its growth is such
Is to produce fairly good yields for
lay. The practice of mixing alsike
md red clover is advisable.
Vetches.
The vetches are the strongest grow
ng annual winter legumes and furnish
plendid winter pasture and hay. Hairy
'etch and common vetch are both ex-
.ellent to use in mixture with oats or
we winter pasture. NarrOw-leafed
'etch is best to use in permanent pas
ure mixtures. When used with winter
ats or rye about one bushel Of the
rain and from one peck to a half
ushel of vetch should be sOwn during
september or October. Hairy vetch is
ardier than common vetch, but the
eed is expensive. When grown for
he first time on field the soil should
e inoculated.
When pastured in winter, the stock
hould be removed from the vetch or
on 20, u tn hn