Evening star., 1947-04-06

A good soil contains organic mat
ter. which Is partially decayed vege-
tation. II your basement was exca-
waited and the material scattered
over all or part Of your lot the soil
lacks organic matter now. Your
problem is to get It there. You can
do this in 4 number Of different
ways. You can buy manure from
stables that viii be anything from
today's accumulation to old, we'll
rotted manure. This latter is what
you want.
Well-rotted manure has gone
through heat and most Of the
weed seeds fed in the hay and used
as bedding have decayed. You
don't want to introduce any more
weed seed than you already have
In the soil. In addition. II weeds
are In the manure they have an
ideal place to germinate and grow
vigorously.
Then there Is sewerage sludge. II
1t is available at q reasonable cost
per ton you can use 1t for organic
matter. Don't forget you are after
organic matter to put into the soil.
What you want Is the most organic
matter for the least money. We can
supply the other plant food from
other materials.
There is still another source Of
organic matter, namely q crop of
legumes or q mixture Of grasses,
small grains and legumes that you
can raise, yourself. You may find
this more to your liking than any
other method.
You or your wife have worked
the lime into the soil. That's good
so far.
A Glover Seed Program.
The middle>pf April is approach
ing. You have some grass spotted
around. The lime is on and you find
the best way to get organic matter
is to grow your own. Let's buy l
pound of crimson clover seed for
each 100 square feet of lawn surface
we are going to work. Then buy
incubation for crimson clover. You
will probably have to take half
bushel size which is enough for 80
pounds of seed or 5000 square feet.
If your lawn runs over 5000 square
feet buy the bushel size and follow
the directions on the can. Be sure
to check the date so you will know
the inoculant is not too old. All
legumes need this incubation by the
bacteria that live on the roots. They
form the nodules that can take the
nitrogen from the air.
You have the seed and the inocu-
lation. The lime is worked into the
soil. 1t has rained or showed since
you did that job. Good! Now let's
scatter the seed evenly and work
it into the soil with q rake garden
or potato). The seed should be out
of sight when you get through. If
it looks like rain or the weatherman
predicts rain in day or tow, wait.
If the prospects Of rain are several
days or q week away, you had better
water it down to get the soil close
around the seed. Then, in about
three or four days, begin to look for
seedlings coming up out Of the
ground.
Don't forget this is not a lawn
grass, but q means of adding much
needed organic matter to the soil.
This is April and the crimson clover
will mature in May or June.
Fertilizer Speeds Growth.
The amount Of organic matter you
produce will depend, Of course, on
the amount of growth that the
crimson clover makes. So, let's think
about fertilizer. 1t will be easiest
to buy a mixed complete fertilizer
this year. A complete fertilizer
contains nitrogen, phosphoric acid,
and potast for legumes and grasses
so let's shop around for mixed
fertilizer Of the proportion Of 40
1916, 3-9-6, 5-10-5 or some similar
formula. You will need 10 pounds
per 100 square feet Of lawn surface.
Scatter 1t evenly over your lawn
after the crimson clover Is up about
one inch in height. Try to do this
when the clover is dry. Even then
it is best to turn the sprinkler loose
and wash all the fertilizer of the
plants and onto the soil. Now you
are on your way to grow that organic
matter you need in your soil plus
a good supply of nitrogen that will
be collected from the air and stored
in the nodules on the roots.
As we said before, this is not a
lawn you are not going to have