DAIRY MEETING. 183 



even though they do not shew the acidity test by the usual 

 methods, are often greatly benefited by the application of 800 

 lbs. or 1,000 lbs. of lime at the time of plowing the land, when 

 it is the intention to grow clover upon it. 



This matter of a "water logged" soil and an "acid" soil is 

 directly concerned with the helpful action of the nitrifying 

 bacteria. If we are to get the benefit of having these organisms 

 take from the air and store in the soil and in the roots of this 

 crop nitrogen amounting to several hundred pounds to the acre, 

 we must correct both of these conditions for the process of 

 nitrification will not freely go on, and the bacteria will not mul- 

 tiply to any great extent when either condition is present. 



Fourth. We should look carefully to the kind and quality 

 of the clover seeds we buy. When a sample of seed will show 

 a germination test of only 75 per cent, it means that one-quar- 

 ter more seed must be used. In our climate where occasionally 

 the conditions are such that clover winter-kills, it is advisable 

 to use a mixture of clover and grasses. One that is giving us 

 the best of satisfaction at present is: 11 lbs. timothy, 6 lbs. red 

 clover, 4 lbs. alsike clover, and 4 lbs. Kentucky bluegrass or 

 redtop per acre. The wisdom of using this mixture was shown 

 two years ago when our clover killed out. The next season the 

 timothy and bluegrass came on and gave us a yield of 3 1-3 tons 

 of hay to the acre. 



Fifth, the fertilizing for clover. Clover has the power 

 and we expect it to skirmish around for its own nitrogen, hence 

 fertilizers used on clover sod should not contain high per- 

 centages of this element. Clover demands potash in liberal 

 amounts, therefore the advisability of using this element quite 

 freely. For several years we have been using each spring the 

 following top dressing of chemicals on our clover sod and other 

 grass lands : 300 lbs. nitrate of soda, 300 lbs. muriate potash, 

 600 lbs. acid phosphate. 



These materials are mixed together and applied broadcast at 

 the rate of 300 lbs. to the acre, early in the spring. 



For the reasons spoken of in the earlier part of this paper 

 we do not use our stable manure as a top dressing on grass 

 and clover sod. 



Sixth. The time of cutting and method of curing clover 

 determines the nitrogen content in the hay, and also the dura- 



