The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-08-18
INQUIRING ABOUT
CRIMSON CLOVER
Is BEST AGENT FOR RESTORING
NITROGEN TO SOIL

M A-OMA4lH r ~ 2OAAa
Fifteen Pounds VIII Seed an Acre
Win Put so to IS Pounds Of Nitro
gen Into Ground Farms Have
Been Worked to Limit and Should
BE Given Rest.
(By T. +. Peck, Commissioner Of
(Agricultnre.)
Many inquiries are coming to the
Department Of Agriculture about
crimson clover. I am pleased TO
note this interest, because crimson
clover provides the most practical
and economical method of supplying
nitrogen for the soil Practically all
our soils are deficient in this inn
portant element Of plant food and it
is the most expensive purchased in
commercial fertilizer.
Fifteen pounds of crimson clover
per acre viii seed the ground It is
claimed by authorities that crop Of
crimson clover will put from go to
rs pounds Of nitrogen per acre into
the ground 1t is a good cover crop
for land during the winter, prevents
land from washing and furnishes
some winter pasture when the land
is dry enough for stock to be turned
on it. The crop can be cut for
hay or seed, but if possible stock
should be taken off it when the
spring growth starts, and the crop
turned under about the 10th Of May,
in time to prepare and plant in corn
or seed to peas or soy beans.
In preparing the land, a good seed
bed should be made, Just as for
clover grass or any small grain
crop. I have seeded land in corn to
E,crimson clover during August, where
the corn had not been blown down.
lin some corn crops that | have
seen this year, chat would not be
possible. There was too much filth
on the ground weeds and grass. II
the corn has been well cultivated
there should not Be enough weeds and
grass to interfere This has To be
done with a one-horse cultivator.
For hay, crimson clover is not as
good as red clover but, when pos
sible, the crop should be turned
under. There is another advant-
age in growing crimson clover
no better provision can be made
for the honey bee in the early
spring, when stimulating feeding is
essential to insure strong colonies
to gather the honey from the latter
bloom.
During the war period farmers
were urged to produce food to the
hmi t and they responded nobly
but in so doing they made heavy
drains on their soils and put very
little back. Most Of them aban-
doned for the time, being their reg
tllar rotations. But we can not con-
tinue to feed out of crib without
emptying it. We can not take from
our soils plant food and not return
it in some form without disastrous
results. Nature provides the means
for maintaining the fertility Of our
soils If we will employ them. Lee
gumes are the least expensive and
the most valuable means of restor.
ing both the nitrogen and humus,.
and crimson clover is one Of the very
best, because it can be grown dur
ing the winter months and leaves
he land free during the summer
months to produce money crop for
market.
We are having rains at intervals
now which ought to enable farmers
TO prepare good seed beds and get
their crimson clover seeded during
the month Of August. With the
crimson clover / like to seed three
fourths Of a bushel of rye per acre
Farmers, like other people. are
entitled to a vacation. People from
the city 10 to the country and
country people like to 20 to town.
Why not plan your vacation at the
time for the big fairs, where YOU
can meet all your friends, and at the
same time see the progress that il
being made in agriculture and live
stock production.
Tennessee has five big fairs in
the state the East Tennessee Di-
vision Fair at Knoxville, the Chat !
tanooga Division Fair at Chatta-
nooga, the West Tennessee Division
Fair at Jackson, the Tri-State Fair
at Memphis and the Clearing House /
for the better agriculture for the T
state and the Tennessee State Fair
at Nashville. A week spent at one
OF these fairs will help and encour-
age any farmer, They are on
titled to a vacation, and why not
take it at one Of the big fairs and /
be benefited, as well as enter