RED CLOVER.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1541, 20 May 1882, Page 4

RED CLOVER.

CLOVEy^teti is 'tne bds't manure 1 that a faring}. 1 can .use. All plants draw much of their 's69. from the" Vtmgsphere, and of those used in agrlcul&ife'ndjio are exceeded by clover in the large proportion of nutrinieWetf&tftavetr.'- 'Tft'-'tni^'re-spect other leguminous crops are much like 'red^ clover. 'Here We include all the clover's, vetches, arid beans, pease, sainfoin,' and J hicerhe or alfalfa. To keep tip iHe 'fertility of ouv boil, we must rosto?& to it phosphoric . acid, ' potash, nitrogen,' 'and dther substances which are found* in tarm crops. Of 'the three very important and valuable substances just npmed nitrogen is the most precious and costly to obtain. In various places there are abundant 'supplies of potash and phosphoric acid. - A« may be said, these are 'in sight.'- I'Agricultural1 ' Agricultural chemists are now studying on the problem of the future supply of nitrogen for agricultural purposes'.! ootar cldverseemsto be the most important factor in this problem. Whole crops of clover are often ploughed under, to restore "or kee]) up the fertility of the soil, but lam safe in saying that it has been proven a better practice to ,cut off the clover ; feed it and use the manure, than to plough under the whole crop. In other words, for various reasons, all of w.hich may not seem plain, it has been shown that ploughing under a clover stubble is followed by about as good results (often better) as though the whole crop was turned under. Again, Vtelcker shows that 'Land, on which clover has been grown for -«eed in the preceding year yields a better corp of wheat than it does when the clover is mown twice for hay, or even once only, and afterwards fed oft by sheep.' I can hardly do better than give here some of the conclusions of Dr Vcelcker in regard to the great value of clover. I find these in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, for 1868, on page 422 : First. — A good crop of clover removes from the soil more potash, phosphoric acid, lime, and other mineral matters, which enter into the composition of the ashes of our cultivated crops, than any other crop usually grown m this country. Second. — There is fully three times n& much nitrogen in a crop of clover as in the average produce of the grain and straw of wheat per acre. Third. — Clover is an excellent preparatory crop for wheat. Fourth. — During the growth of clover a large amount of nitrogenous matter accumulates in the soil. Fifth. — This accumulation, which is greatest in the surface soil, is due to decaying leaves dropped during the growth of clover, and te an abundance of roots, containing, when dry, fi om 1 f to 2 per cent, of nitrogen. Sixth. — The clover roots are stronger and also mere numerous, and hence moi c leaves fall on the giound, when clover ie> grown for seed, than when it is mown for hay : in consequence more nitrogen is left than after hay. Seventh. — This crop causes a huge accumulation of nitrogenous matteis, which are gradually changed in the soil to nitrates. Eighth. — Clover not only pimides abundance of nitrogenous food, but ilelivers this food in a readily available power (as nitrates) mm c gradually and continuously, and with a gieat deal more certainty of a good lcsult than such food can be applied to the land in the shape of nitrogenous top-dressings. The above conclusions are somcwh.ib condensed, but it would bo well foi every farmer to cut them out and post them up where lie could read them daily, till they were indelibly fixed in hi& mind. —Prof. W. J. Benl.

The bill for legalising marrage with a deceased wife's sister, which is to be brought into the British Parliament this session, will contain a provision making lawful the marriage of a widow with a deceased husband's brother. The Emperor of Ocunany intends shortly to confer on Prince Bismarck the title of a Colonel-General of Cavalry. This distinction is intended to mark the (Sovereign's approval of his recent speech in defence of the resciipt. Moody and Sankey h.ivebeen crowding the Free Assembly Hall in Edinburgh Mr Moody has enlisted thej sympathy of the Scotch childien to a remarkable extent. The snowfall in Au&ti ia has been .so great that in many places the diifts reached the telegiaph uiies. During some of the storms, jnssengors and drivers have been compelled to abandon stage coaches and seek .saftey as best they might by cutting thr-ii a\ ay to the nearest houses, leaving luggage to be dug out later. Coo>T Camfixlo contemplates becoming the editor of a daily paper in Rome in the interest of evangelical principles. The electric light is spieading. The Shah talks of superseding gas in his palace. The Sultan of Zanzibar intends to) illuminate the streets, of his capital with the electric light,and the Maharajah of Mysore's palace is to be lit up with it. Jks.se James, the notorious outlaw and murderer, was shot by one of his own gang named Bob Ford, near Kansas City. Emilio Castkllak has published an article in refcience to SkobelofFs recent extraordinary speech, in which he says he fears a coming Slav invasion of Europe, and declares it behoves the Latin races in the interests) of civilisation, to enter into a clobe alliance with the Germans. Fkom Catholic sources the statistics of Roman Catholic missions in China are reported to be : Bishops, 41 ; European priests, 664; native priests, ,359 ; colleges, 34 ; convents, 34 ; Catholics, 1,092,818., Cake of Hogs. —The hog excels all the larger animals upon the farm in the matter of space occupied in his shelter, and the relative cheapness with which this can be put up and maintained. No other animal can be made comfoi table with so small an outlay of cash. None come so near being self-tenders, depositing their filth remote from their nest if giving a fair opportunity to do this, making their own bed if allowed access to the material ; and it is always the case, that no hog is ever seen to carry wet or even damp straw to his bed, if he has access to that which is dry. During the winter season feed should be given, not less than three times a day, and four or five times would be better. This should be the rale, as the stomach of the hog is of moderate capacity, and should not be overtaxed by being distended. It should be the rule, also, for the purpose of inviting a hog to leave his nest at intervals that his dampened surface may dry off, that he may take needed exercise, and, at the same time, allow his nest to part with some of its moisture. The feeding-place should be some distance removed from the resting place. This insures the deposit of droppings away from either, as hog is cleanly to a degree beyond what he has credit for, unless, through our own slipshod inconsiderate practice, we force him to be otherwise. , This we do when we confine him to a small pen, compelling him to sleep, -\vieh perhaps half a dozen of his fellows, - upon . one half of a ten-foot square space, using the other half as a place for, hjs droppings, and for feeding also. Open the door, if his prison cell has one, , and see if , he will , soil his eating or Bleeping place with his own<re%e.' The trial will show that he will not do this.