McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1921-08-19

Many inquiries are coming to
| the Department of Agriculture
aboutcrimson clover. Iampleased
to note this interest, because
crimson clover provides the most
practical and economical meth
cd of supplying nitrogen for
the soil. Practically all of our
soils are deficient in this impor-
tant element of plant food, and it
is the most expensive purchased
in a commercial fertilizer.
Fifteen pounds of crimson Glow
er per acre will seed the ground.
1t is claimed by authorities that
/, a crop of crimson clover will put
from 60 to rs pounds of nitrogen
per acre into the ground. 1t is a
| good covercro for andduring the
winter, prevents land from wash
ing, 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 of 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. | have seeded land
in corn to crimson clover during
August. where the corn had not
been blown down. In some corn
crops that have seen this year
that would not be possible. There
was toomuchfilth on the ground
weeds and grass. If the corn has
been we'll 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
possible the crop should be turn
ed under. There is another adj
vantage in growing crimson Glow
er- 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 hon
ey from the later bloom.
During the war period, farmers
were urged to produce food to
the limit, and they responded
nobly. But in so doing they made
heavy drains on their soils, and
put very little back. Most of
them abandoned for the time be-
ling their regular rotations. But
we cannot continue to feed out of
| a crib without emptying it. Wei
cannot 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.
lLegumes are the least expensive
and the most valuable means of
restoring both the nitrogen and
humus, and crimson clover is one
Of the very best, because it can
be grown during the winter
months and leave the land free
during the summer months to
produce a money crop for market.
We are having rains at inter-
walls now which ought to enable
farmers to prepare good seed beds
and get their crimson clover seed
ed 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 go to the country
and coantry people like to go to
town. Why not plan your vaca-
tion at the time for the big fairs,
where you can meet all your
friends, and at the same time,
see the progress that is being |
made in agriculture and live
stock production.
Tennessee has five big fairs in
the State, the East Tennessee
Division Fair at Knoxville, the
Chattanooga Division Fair at
Chattanooga, the West Tennes-
see District Fair at Jackson, the
| Trl-State Fair at Memphis, and
the Clearing House for better
aUriculture for the State and the |