Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-03-05

Der that once when the Queen of
France demanded something abso-
ltuely new in a frock the dressmaker
replied, There is nothing new-ex-
ccpt 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. Farmers have been
drifting away from clover. Appar-
emily. 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 things-organic matter. nitro
gen. potash. phosphoric acid.
OF these four essential things,
clover supplies two, organic matter
and nitrogen. I'll can not add phOs-
phorus or potash. but it can return
what it takes out. The most impor-
tant point is that clover in the crop
rotation will supply the nitrogen or
most of it. Numerous demonstra-
tions of that fact have been made by
state experiment stations. Land on
which clover makes better yields
than land on which no clover is
grown. The specialist believe that
unless there is more general return
to clover productivity will certainly
decline.
BE Sure Seed Is Right.
Here are some of the things they
say about sowing clover this spring.
Glover seed is high-porbably 60
cents pound at retail. Do not plant
it unless you plant 1t right.
Have the seed tested. The state
seed laboratory or the seed labora-
tory of the United States Department
of Agriculture will do it. You can't
afford to take a chance by not test
ing it.
Glover seed is most commonly
sOwn on winter wheat in the early
spring. This is ordinarily good prac-
tice, but if the wheat field was left
rough in the fall the seed bed may
not be favorable and much seed may
be wasted. Glover needs a seed bed
that is firm below but fine and loose
on top. Use a drill when possible.
On loamy soil harrow the seed in on
the wheat, but do not attempt it
when the land is wet.
If farmers would take as much
pains seeding clover as they do seed
ing alfalfa, there would be fewer
clover failures.
AS a rule red clover will not do
we'll on land that is ''sour" either
naturally or because it has been so
long cropped that the lime in the
soil has been used up. There are
occasional exceptions. Glover has
been known to do we'll on land that
that had lime requirement of 1.400
pounds an acre, but this land had
Usually clover wants soil that is neu-
trail or nearly so. 1t is safe state
ment that in most cases where clover
goes out or fails to make fair CROP
two tons of ground limestone an acre
would help great deal. In many
cases this would make the difference
: between success and failure. In
!, other cases lime may have to be sup
!: plemented with phosphoric acid OF
potash. The use of potash will not
be warranted when the price is as
high as it is, except in the rare case
when this element is decidedly the
limiting factor. Lime. however, is
fundamental. There is generally no
use seeding red clover on "sour"
soil
Use for Alsike Glover.
If the farmer can not lime and the
land is worn or sour" or if the
land is poorly drained, low, and
damp, alsike clover should be seed
ed. 1t is a common practice now to
mix the red clover with alsike for
worn or partly rundown land. Alsike
likes lime. too, but it will make a
crop on land that will not bring red
clover. This is especially true if the
soil is both sour" and damp, OF
course, soil can be so sour" that
even alsike will not grow. In such
case there is nothing for it but to
lime or to quit clover.
On land that has lime but is other
wise poor and lacks organic matter
try sweet clover. 1t is no use sowing
this on sour" soil. 1t won't thrive
But with lime it is about the best
clover for poor land. 1t will add or.
ganic matter and nitrogen and leave
such soil in better shape for the
following crops. Sweet clover seed
is cheaper than red and in many