The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1920-01-30
OF INTEREST
TO STOCKMEN

Although this article is headed "Of
Interest to Stockmen," it is equally Of
interest to every farmer in the valley
and surrounding country. Sure forage
crops, possessing the highest quality
of nutrition with the hardness to grow
upon dry land as we'll as under water
is something that appeals to every
farmer and stockman. In the following
letter from Mr.. Paul Mohler to Mr.
Chas. A. Powell of this place, there is
much information relative to forage
plant that seems to meet the require
ments of this country. Dependence can
be placed in the statements of Mr..
fenced farmer himself but very keen
and careful observer and does not risk
a statement on any important subject
without careful study and pretty thor
iough knowledge. 1t will be we'll for
land owners to read and ponder care
fully what Mr.. Mohler has here set
down regarding sweet clover and give
the plant a trial:
Oroville, Wash. Jan. 8, 1890.
The Oroyille Commercial Company.
Mr.. Powell, Manager.
Dear Sir-Knowing your interest in
all that makes this a better and more
prosperous community, l am writing
to secure your aid in introducing q
crop that will, feel sure, mean q very
great deal to the ranchers and busi-
ness men of this valley, a crop that
will in many cases replace even alfal-
ia. 1t is white blossomed. biennial
sweet clover, so long known only az 4
weed, but now being sown on the very
highest priced lands of the east
For years l have read of this crop
in the farm papers, but so many far
mers condemn it as being hard to feed
to stock, that my own first practical
interest was in it's value as soil bull
der. For this feature, I sowed q field
of it with barley on my land In North
Dakota, the spring of 1918. This came
we'll and seemed to stimulate the bar
ley. 1t passed through the winter OF
1888, a severe winter, without in
jury, although my land is in the cold
est part of the state. Last year, It met
a very severe drought which prevented
barley and even rye from making
crop. The clover made fine crop.
To my surprise l found that neigh
bors were using it for pasture and that
their stock kept in fine shape Oh It
when other pasture failed absolutely.
| have since learned that getting stock
to eat it is a simple matter when you
know how. 1t makes good hay when
cut in time, and good silage. when al
lowed to grow freely With this crop
alone. all of western North Dakota and
Eastern Montana can come back into
prosperity in spite of drought There
is no doubt about it.
Now, what does this mean to us?
My first thought is Of the dry land
in past years. Think what it would
have meant to them if they had had a
field of this crop to furnish them with
rich pasturage and feed. Think what It
will mean in the future if they take
it up. Even as seed crop, find that
it pays, to say nothing Of the nitrogen
and humus it adds to the soil.
My second thought is for the irrigat-
ed farm. Alfalfa is not a satisfactory
pasture grass for several reasons.
Sweet clover is. Mr.. Frank Stansbury
tells me that he kept five cows on one
and one-half acres of sweet clover last
year, irrigating it every week or two.
Is that worth considering? Think what
1t means to the dairy industry of the
valley. remembering that if let alone
the clover will reseed itself indefi-
nitely
Unlike alfalfa, sweet clover is easily
to start, making good pasture by the
middle of June, or right after harvest,
If sown with nurse crop. At the end
of the second year, it can be plowed
under with a splendid addition of nj
'trogen and humus to the soil content
Its heavy roots rot very quickly. It Is
an excellent bee pasture 1t very sell
dom bloats an animal. 1t will stand
drought better than alfalfa, import
ant, when the water gets scarce in the
dry weather. Seed costs less and goes
farther Put all of this together and I
am sure you will reilaze that am ad-
vocating something very much worth
while. Hoping for your help to inter-
Hst ranchers and others, ] remain,
Very trll1y yOurS