South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-06-02
ALSITE CLOVER IS
CROP FOR LOWLAND
ThriveS in Wet Places and Hay
is Rich in Protein-EX-
CelIent for Feed.

The possibility that a continuance
! Of the war may affect the supplies
of concentrates for stock feed makes
it wise az the present time to con-
slider growing feeds rich in pro-
teins. OF such feeds the United States
department of agriculture wishes
10 CALI attention to alsike clover AS
a plant for low wet places. Analyses
show that alsike clover hay is slight
/ ~ richer in protein than red clover
and the hay is fine and we'll liked
/ by stock. For dairy cattle especially
| il is an excellent feed. and a ration
/ Of alsike hay could partly replace
a ration of silage and concentrates
where these have been used. making
saving i'm concentrates When prom
| erly cured. alsike clover hay is bright
colored and sweet. making il very
palatable. The plant being smooth.
the hay is less dusty than red clover
| hay 1t is not advised that aIsike
| be seeded instead Of red clover or
| alfalfa. Where these are successful
| ly grown the farmer would better
stick 20 the crops he knows Will do
! well. Where, however, land is sour
and lime can not he applied. or
/ where land is wet and red clover
and alfalfa do not do well. alsike
| clover can be seeded this spring
with good promise Of success. Where
il is seeded on worn or sour upland
with a grain nurse crop, there will.
| Of course. he no cutting the same
| season. unless the season should be
unusually wet and long. but when
seeded on low. damp ground. with
out a nurse crop. a good cutting of
hay may he expected the same sea-
son. Where the land is weedy it will
be better 10 seed with a light seeding
Of oats which may be cut for hay.
In this case, too. a cutting Of clover
! hay may be expected the same sea-
son.
| The department wishes especially
TO call attention 70 the wet bottoms
that are often waste or weed-over-
/ grown lands Alsike clover thrives
in such places. In many places i'm
the south il is very successfully
raised on creek bottoms. In some
cases such lands are overlooked
more than once i'm the season and
are thus risky for corn or for red
clover, but alsike clover will endure
an occasional spell under water and
still make hay crop when the land
dries again.
In the north and west there are
many sWales and wet places on
which the crop kills out or which
are too wet 70 prepare for
corn. Alsike should do well on such
land and return a good crop Of
rich hay. ON the Patoka river bot
toms of Indiana for example. alsike
is reported as having made two tons
Of hay the season of sowing
As a rule. alsike makes but one
cutting. but where the land is rich
and moist two cutting may be Sc
cured I'm the year following seeding
OF course. only one cutting can be
expected the season Of seeding.
1t is a good plan TO sed alsike
clover with timothy. with orchard
grass. or with redtop When seeded
alone the stems of the clover lie on
the ground and make "A mat that
is difficult to cut. The grass serves
10 hold the clover up and thus makes
cutting easier. The mixture is also
lmore readily cured. A good mixture
for such purpose is alsike clover five
pounds and timothy four pounds
per acre: or alsike clover five pounds
and orchard grass 10 pounds Such
mixtures will give most alsike clo-
yer with enough grass 10 hold il up
If more grass is wanted, increase
the seeding of grass.
Now is the time 10 attend 10 this
matter Farmers are urged 10 seed
alsike clover on all lowlands and wet
places. Some seedlings will doubtless
fail. but on the whole the result
should ne more good hay for cattle
and a consequent saving Of concen-
trates. resulting i'm saving Of cash
TO the individual and great food sup
plies for the country.