The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-07-31
Acreage Doubled for
Producing Clover Seed


Three years ago the movemen
was started to make red clover see
production one of the leading pre-
jects of Bingham county after can
vass of the possibilities of such a.
industry and determining the actua
return to the grower by keeping rec
Ords of several fields in various part
of the county. Last year the grow
ers were so pleased with the return
from new fields that the acreage ha'
been almost doubled and there Is IL
the neighborhood of 1000 acres pro
ducing seed this year.
During the second and thirG
weeks of July the state seed com.
missioner and county agent held
field meetings and demonstrations
in all the important seed producing
sections in the county. 1t is sur
prising to find the rapid growth that
the small seed producing industry
Is taking, not only in the matter OF
increased acreage, but also the i'm
provement in quality and purity,
which bids fair to make Bingham
one of the best clover seed produc-
ing sections as we'll as the leading
Grimm alfalfa seed producing dis
trict in the state.
During these field meetings sever
al important features in connection
with this crop were discussed.
In order to produce No. 1 pro-
duct the field to be planted must be
clean from weeds, preferably field
that has been in cultivated crops
for one or two years. Fairly level
ground that waters easily is pre-
ferred, since clover is rather shall
low rooted plant.
Only seed of the highest purity
and free from noxious or inseparable
weed seed or such commercial seeds,
such as sweet clover or alfalfa should
be used. In this connection charts
are shown to prove that the grower
is not SO much interested in the &C
tual per cent of red clover seed is
in the sample. but in the small per
cent of weed seed or other seed.
Seed with a purity of 80 per cent
might be much better than a sample
testing 1882 per cent If the latter
had noxious or more inseparable
weed seed. Cheap seed often means
loss. In one field that had been
planted for red clover to produce
seed the grower planted cheap seed
without having a test on 1t and as a
result 1T was hard to tell whether
the farmer intended to produce al !
falfa, sweet clover or red clover. In |
this case. the payment of fifty cents
an acre more for good seed would
have brought about twenty-seven
dollars additional to the acre re-
turn which would have been a very
good investment.
Red clover may be planted with
peas, wheat or barley with success,
and should have considerable water
when young and tender so that it
does not pinch off at the surface of
the ground
Some very successful growers har-
vest the first crop for seed, but in
order to do this the growth must
be held back by Withholding water ,
10 that the plants do not grow too ,
'ank, falling down and smoldering ,
he bloom. This method has an ,
'ther advantage where aphids are :
numerous in that the crop is taken :
n before much damage is done. A :
arge number of fields, however, that =
ad been retarded are too rank and
he heavy growth has fallen down.
he method of pasturing or clipping Z
ne early growth is showing good re-
ults. Where early pasturing is fol- :,
'wed it is often necessary to NOW :.
ne uneven clumps that the livestock .,
lay leave. In the second seed year :.
lie foliage does not make such :,
eavy growth and it is well to let -
lie crop go to seed from the start :,
1t is necessary during the summer =,
rogue out inseparable weeds SO
lie seed does not bring the purity =.
own so the seed must be sold at -
wer grade. Dealers make a diff
renee of about four cents pound \,
stween No. l and and 8, and eight :,
nine cents between No. / and no d
'ade seed. Such weeds as sweet .
over, dock and foxtail, are num-
GUS in this section. Where patch =,
OF perennial weeds such as power ~
weed, Russian knapweed, morn 10 %
g glory or Canadian thistle are ~
esent in the clover it is better to "a
t those spots for hay
The county agent is trying out a ~
W spray called Sure Shot, manu- 70
ctured in California which has w
oven successful in exterminating =.
rennial weeds in some places. Az ."'
: giving it thorough trial he will
ow whether to recommend it for ~
neral use or not W