The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-07-23
Sweet Clover Is
Best for Forage
More Valuable for Pasture
and Green Manuring Than
for Hay Crop.
prepared by the United States Department
OF Agriculture.)

inquiries TO IeQerai nay inspectors ana
to hay dealers regarding the marketing
Of baled sweet-clover hay. The acre
age of sweet clover available for har-
vesting this year Is the largest ever
known, while the heavy paintings that
we've made this spring will result in
sweet clover being one of the leading
forage crops in the country in 1927.
Most of this sweet clover will be used
FOR pasture or for blowing under.
Some of it. however, will be cut for
hay, and the surplus above farm re-
quirements will be offered for sale.
Hay Not in Favor.
Sweet-clover hay Is not held in high
favor in the leading hay markets and
dealers report much difficulty in dis
posing of the sweet-clover hay con-
signed to them. The United States
Department of Agriculture reports
that no official standards or grades
have been established for sweet-clover
hay and that no such grades are con-
templated for the immediate future.
The very evident lack of market in
terest in sweet-clover hay is due to the
fact that hay from this crop hereto
fore offered for sale has been of very
low quality and Of poor condition.
Practically all Of 1t has consisted of
an unattractive mass of coarse, woody
stems, almost devoid of leaves and fine
stems, often badly weathered or moldy,
and obviously Of low feeding value.
The principal buyers of legume hays.
including the clovers and alfalfa, are
dairymen, and these demand hay that
. is fine-stemmed and leafy, sound, and
and feeding value. Sweet-clover hay
may be so produced as to have all of
these characteristics, but the type of
hay usually placed on the market
would be largely wasted If fed to dairy
cows. Most buyers will not consider
It even for bedding.
Cause of Poor Quality.
The cause of the poor quality Of
sweet-clover hay lies partly in care
lessness in harvesting and partly in
the nature Of the crop itself Sweet
clover is a biennial plant, making a
moderate growth the first year and
very large and rapid growth the Sec
ond spring. Most of the hay is made
from the second-year crop. When har-
vested at the right time this second
year sweet clover will make very good
hay If properly cured, but the curing
and storing of sweet clover so as to
MDbtain good quality hay is very diff
" cult The harvesting must be done
just as the flower buds are forming,
and the interval during which this oc-
ours is usually not more than three or
four days. If cut too early the crop
Is too succulent and almost impos-
sible to cure without spelling. If cut
ting is delayed until the flowers ap-
{ pear the stems become overripe. Such
stems are coarse and very fibrous and
dry so slowly in the swath that most
Of the leaves wither and fall off before
the hay can be put into the barn. If
the sweet clover Is stacked or placed
in the NOV at that stage Of curing
when the leaves are clinging to the
stalks, the stalks will be so sappy as
to start strong ferment that often.
turns the hay musty and moldy. I'm
fortunately, the harvesting usually
comes at season of frequent showers
and at a time when farmers are too
busy to watch the sweet clover closely.
AS result very little second-year
sweet-clover hay is saved in good con-
dition. Recent investigations have
disclosed, furthermore, that second
year sweet-clover hay, which for any
reason has become spoiled, is likely
to cause severe and often fatal poison
ing of cattle The trouble is thought
to be due to a fungus or mold which
develops on the inside of the hollow
stems.
All Of these conditions may be i'm
proved somewhat by planting the vel
low sweet clover or one of the early
white varieties, like the Grundy Coun-
ty, instead of the common white spe-
cies. In general, however, second-year
sweet clover hay is being looked upon
with increasing disfavor. Although
It may be used in an emergency for
home-farm use 1t should not be cul-
tivated to compete with alfalfa and
red clover as market hay.
First-Year Cutting.
A good word should be said, on the
other hand, for sweet-clover hay cut
the first fall following spring plant
ing. In a good season and on moist soil
one and sometimes two cuttings of ex-
cellent hay may be obtained in August
and early September. This hay is
flne-stemmed and leafy, Of first-rate
appearance and feeding value, and
comparable in every way to good al
falfa hay. In fact, it has been offered
on one market as "near alfalfa The
only objection to first-year sweet
clover hay Is the grain stubble which
It may contain, If the seeding is with
nurse crop.
This can be avoided by planting the
sweet clover alone or by cutting 1t
higher than the stubble. Cutting
should take place not later than the
!