The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-04-09

prepared by the United States Depart.
ment of Agriculture.)
Glover is the most important crop
on the farm for keeping up the land.
Old? Yes. But perhaps you remem-
Der that once when the queen of
France demanded something absolute
~ new in frock the dressmaker re-
piled, "There is nothing new-except
what has been forgotten" Maybe the
forage crops specialist of the United
States department of agriculture had
just that thought in mind when he
made the statement just quoted. Farm
ers have been drifting away from
clover Apparently, some of them have
forgotten the old truth that clover is
the most important crop for keeping
the land productive, and the clover
story needs to be told again.
Crops demand soil containing four
thtngs-organic matter, nitrogen,
potash, phOsphoric acid.
OF these feur essential things, clover
supplies two, organic matter and nitro
gen. It cannot add phosphorus or
potash, but it can return what it
takes out. The most important point
is that clover in the crop rotation will
supply the nitrogen or most of it.
Numerous demonstrations of that fact
have been made by the state expert
ment stations. Land on which clover
Is grown in rotation with other crops
makes better yields than land on
which no clover is grown. The spe-
clalists believe that unless there is
more general return to clover pro-
auctivity will certainly decline.
Be Sure Seed Is Right.
Here are some of the things they
say about sowing clover this spring.
Clover seed is high;-probably go
cents a pound at retail. Do not plant
It unless you plant it right.
Have the seed tested. The state
seed laboratory or the seed laboratory
OF the United States department of
agriculture will do it. You can't af-
fora to take chance by not testing
it.
Glover seed is most commonly sown
Oh winter wheat in the early spring.
. lIlls Is ordinarily good practice, but
the wheat field was left rough in
'he fall the seed bed may not be ia
Hofahle and much seed may be wasted.
cover needs a seed bed that is firm
below but fine and loose on top. Use
. drill when possible. On loamy soil
narrow the seed in on the wheat, but
10 not attempt it when the land is
wet.
II farmers would take as much
PAINS seeding clover as they do seed
ing alfalfa. there would be fewer
clover failures.
Best Soil for Glover.
AS rule red clover will not do we'll
On land that is "sour' either natural
or because it has been so long
cropped that the lime in the soil has
oeeh used up. There are occasional
exceptions. Glover has been known
10 DO well on land that had lime re-
quifement of 1,400 pounds an acre,
Out this land had been heavily ma
nured and fortified. Usually clover
wants soil that is neutral or nearly
80 1t is safe statement that in
most cases where clover goes out or
la'iS to make a fair crop two tons of
s'ouhd limestone an acre would help
great deal. In many cases this
WOULD make the difference between
success and failure. In other cases
mme may have to be supplemented
WIN phosphoric acid or potash. The
use OF potash will not be warranted
"heh the price is as high as it is, ex-
sept IN the rare case when this ele-
ueht is decidedly the limiting fac
% CUr' Lime, however, is fundamental.
here is generally no use seeding red
V'oVer on "sour" soil.
Use for Alsike Clover.
II the farmer cannot lime and the
'anu Is worn or "sour," or if the land
poorly drained. low, and damp.
a'Sike clover should be seeded. 1t is a
oii'thon practice now tc mix the red
over with alsike for worn or partly
uu'uown land. Alsike likes lime, too,
nv II viii make a crop on land that
~ not bring red clover. This is
opeelally true If the soil is both
SUR and damp. OF course. soil