The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-07-19
swEET-CLOvER PASTURE
Splendid Pasture Crop from Early
Spring to Late Fall = Prac-
tically no Danger From

1fJm early spring uii'ii
late fall as sweet clover, when 1t is
handled. Live stock thrive
on it. Animals which have never
been fed sweet clover may refuse TO
eat il at first, but this disaste can be
overcome by turning them on the
pasture as soon as the plants start
growth. There is practically no
danger from bloat from sweet clo-
yer, according to Farmers Bulletin
$40, Sweet Glover: Utilization, which
has just been issued by the United
States Department of Agriculture.
Pasturing Stock on Sweet Glover
When sweet clover has been seeded
two years in succession on separate
fields, the fields sown the first year
may be pastured until the middle
Of June, when the stock should be
turned on the spring seeding. When
handled in this manner excellent
pasturwe is provided throughout
the summer and a hay or seed crop
may be harvested from the field
seeded the previous season.
Some of the best pastures in Iowa
consists of a mixture Of Kentucky
bluegrass, timothy, and sweet Glow
err. On one large farm stock Is
pastured on meadows containing
this mixture from the first part of
April to the middle of June. From
this time until the first part Of Sep
tember the stock is kept on one-half
to two-thirds the total pasturage
acreage. The remainder OF the
pasture land is permitted to mature
a seed crop. Usually from 2 to 4
bushels per acre of recleaned seed
is obtained from this portion OF the
pasture. After the seed crop Is
harvested. the stock again is turned
on this acreage where they feed on
the grasses and flrst-year sweet
clover plants until cold weather.
The seed which skaters when the
crop is out is usually sufficient to
reseed the pasture.
II is essential that sufficient stock
be kept on the pastures to keep the
plants eaten rather closely. so that
at all times there will be an album
dance of fresh shoots. Grazing in
duces the plants TO send out many
Young shoots close to the ground,
50 that when the plants are permit
ted To mature seed a much larger
number of salks are formed than
would be the case if the first crop
were cut for hay. Excellent stands
of sweet clover will produce an
abundance of pasturage for , to B
mature animals per acre, from early
spring to the middle Of June. Cat
tie which are pastured on sweet
clover alone crave dry food. Straw
or hay should be present in the
meadow at all times.
Experiments by many farmers In
the Middle West show that sweet
clover is an excellent pasture for
dairy cattle. When cows are turned
on sweet clover from grass pastures
the flow of milk is increased and
its quality improved. Other con-
ditions being normal, this increase
in milk production will continue
throughout the summer as the
plants produce an abundance of
green forage during the hot, dry
II the pastures are hand
led properly they will carry at least
one milch COW to the acre during
the summer months. Tainting OF
milk and butter, sometimes report
ed, may be avoided by taking the
cows off the pasture two hours be-
fore milking and keeping them oil
until after milking the following
morning.
Excellent for Hogs
Sweet clover has proved to be
an excellent pasturage crop for
hogs. II is usually seeded alone and
pastured for two seasons. The hogs
may be turned on the fields the first
year as soon as the plants have
made a 6-inch growth. From this
time until late fall an abundance OF
forage is produced as pasturing in
duces the plants to send out many
tender succulent branches. Pastur-
ing the second season may begin
as soon as the growth starts in the
spring. II the field is not closely
grazed the second season it is ad-
visable TO clip il occasionally, leav-
ing an S-inch stubble, so as to pro-
duce a more succulent growth.
An acre OF sweet clover pasture
ordinarily will support 20 TO 30
shoats, in addition to furnishing
light crop Of hay. For the best
Al. "A. "A La