CRIMSON CLOVER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 23

CRIMSON CLOVER.

It is always a good thing to have a standby such as a catch-crop provides, to help out our regulation supplies, and this year, in view of a possible shortage in the turnip crop, after all the dry weather we have had, it i* more necessary than ever. A supply of green fodder for all classes of stock in spring is a great acquisition. The crops usually grown for this purpose are vetchee, oats, Cape barley, rye, and crimson cloveT ; and -for sheep, rape and young grass or mixtures of these in various proportions. Success in growing these crops largely depends in getting them in early, a3 soon as early stubble is cleared, so. that they may be well established before winter, but they may be sown at any time till April. The usual plan with crimson clover is to broadcast -t on the stubble without ploughing, and harrow away till a tiltn is obtained, then roll it in no ploughing as lt requires a firm seed-bed. The director of the AJabama Experimental Station, Mr I J F Duggar, thinks that inoculation with suitable soil is necessary to procure, good results This may be .so, but it is not my (" Agricola'a ") experience. Mr Dtiggar is thus reported in the American Sheep Breeder* * — Crimson clover is useful (1) for soil impiovemeut, (2) for hay, and (3) for grazing in September and October. Crimson clover is an annual plant, making its entire growth in about seven or eight months, from March to November. Seed, either purchased or home-grown, must be sown every year. Soil — Crimson clover thrives on a great variety of soils, including some of the pooresu. It is much more apt to succeed on sons poor in lime than is red clover. It does especially w«ll on a mixture of clay and sandthat is, on loam or cla-y loam soil. On strongly acid soils its success is. doubtful, unless lime is used as fertiliser. It has been moderately successful on prairie soil at Uniontown, Ala. It should be tried on all Alabama soils excerpt on very wet spots. Sowing.— Sow 15 to 20 pounds of seed per a,cre broadcast when the soil is moist between March 10 and April 10, March sowing being generally preferable. The land should be free from much, litter. . . . Unploughed cowpea stubble land, disced. often makes a good .seed bed. If the land must be ploughed, pulverise and compact it by the uee of harrow, drag or roller. On most soils 2001b to 40Olb of acid phosphate would be helpful. On acid soils s.x to eight barrels of lime per acre, first slaking it, may be desirable. When crimson clover is sown among growing cotton plants we use no fertiliser. Inoculation.— Do not waste any money on crimson clover se«d unless you can inoculate them with suitable soil. Without inoculation this crop is generally tin entire failure. Inosculation consists in sowing with the seed certain germs that will cause enlargements on the roots of certain plants. These enlargements, or tubercles, are fertiliser factories changing the useless nitrogen of the air into the form of nitrogen useful for fertiliser and for food, and coating, if bought in fertiliser, fully 15c per pound. The surest means Oi inoculating the seed consists in sowing with th« seed som« soil from a spot where any true clover, as red, white, or crimson, has recently grown successfully Soil from around the roots of Japßn ("wild") clover will not serve. Careful search in most old la-wna and pastures will often reveal vie presence of one of the small white clovers. This is distinguishable in the fall by its roundish, small hearUhaped leaves and by small roundish enlargements (tubercules) on. the Toots. Mix a. little water with soil from this spot. Then moisten the crimson clover seen in this dirty water. r<ow mix the wet seed -with some of the same soil in dry, powdered condition. If th« inoculating soil is abundant, sow broadcast, in addition, from a few hundred' pounds to one ton. of it per acre. Otherwise omit this latter step. Promptly cover seed and inocu.a.ting eaitn with a harrow. Much sunlight may kill, the germs. Inoculation with soil is many times furer than reliance on "pure cultures'' or inoculating material prepared in the laboratory. Do not pay extra for seed said to be inoculated. It will pay to have soil from some clover field shipped you. How to Use Crimson Clover — Crimson clover can be cut -for hay about October 20 to November 1. The stubble has considerable fertilising value, and will greatly increase the yield of a.ny late crop that follow* the clover, such as corn, sweet potatoes, sorghum, etc. By October 1 the crimson clover, about half grown, mag b* plough*^ voder, thus

improving the land. Crimson clover fakeg f the place of cotton seeel meal oi nitrate of soda in the fertiliser. To get maximum fer- i tihsing effects, stock shou'd be kept off until ! just before ploughing under the half-EJ-'own I crinisoii clo\er, ->\hen it may be grazed i

Lcta no man expect to succeed without inoculation. Failing to find suitable soil, grow a* a sample a, patch of crimson clover so small that you can cover the ground with stable manure. But inoculated plants do 1 ot need stable manure.