Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-05
Sweet Clover
A Good Miner

Most of us think of miner as
one who goes down into the earth
thru a narrow shaft or tunnel to get
and bring to the surface the
treasures that may be buried there
in the soil so that our wealth may
be increased and some OF our needs
supplied.
That is just what sweet clover
plant does. One of the valuable
features is that it roots deep at a
pretty rapid rate, reaching down to a
depth of thirty inches by May in its
second year and foot or more at
the end OF the first seasons growth.
The roots strike SO deep that there is
very little danger of their being
winter killed OF the plants heaved
out where there is good drainage IL
they had made good. vigorous
growth from the beginning.
The good these deep roots DO IN
the way of facilitating drainage OF
the soil is worth considering. Inc
sweet clover has a tleshy tap root
many of which have been found to pc
from one-half to three-fourths men
thick at the top and gradually taper
ing off to a fine root at the tip. After
second year and decay they leave a
channel down thru the subsoil thru
which excess water may be carried
more RAPIDLY than it would be thru
the stiff clay which had not been
penetrated by roots. The presence
of the decayed or decayins roots
helps to improve the subsoil as well
as it does the top soil and permits
the roots of other crops to penetrate
il also and secure plant food there.
Many of us think most of the crops
that perform and produce best above
ground, but it pays to watch also
the things that take place in the soil
where the crop is growing. Sweet
clover not only leaves the soil full OF
roots but nitrogen, one of the most
difficult elements TO fix in the soil
and one of the highest priced feru-
lizers to buy 1t is left in a form
that is quickly available to any crop
that follows the sweet clover. Ex-
aminations of the roots at difIerent
times of the year, have shown that
these nitrogen filled tubercles show
on the young clover at an early
period in growth and develop into big
knots on the roots as the growth
continues.
Sweet clover does not eaten SO
readily on clay knobs nor does II
produce quite SO vigorous growth as
1t does in the black loan. Tests OF
this soil show it to give more acid
reaction also. If limestone is not
available at a reasonable price 10
put on this soil, several means of
improving it may be adopted. First,
apply more seed, using extra pre-
caution to get it well covered for i'm
mediate termination; second. coat
this seeding with moderate amount
of manure as soon as the nurse crop
is removed in order to stimulate
the growth of the roots; third,
pasture off the sweet clover. if pos
sible to do so. using sheep along
with cattle and hogs, as sheep feed
largely on the higher ground and
thus enrich it more; in case you do
not pasture it, pillow it in May of the
second year when it has attained a
heavy growth; fourth, never pillow
clay soil when it is damp or bad.
Sweet clover will do its work for
you when you givefit the attention 1t
deserves and under present condi-
lions of farming it deserves much at
tention from those who desire to
maintain the productive capacity of
the soil.