CAUSES OF CLOVER FAILURE 



Edwaed van Alstyne, Kinderhook, N. Y. 



Director of Farmers' Institutes 



If clover were a plant that had not been previously grown in 

 New York State, the verdict of farmers based on the results of 

 a series of years prior to 1915 would probably be that clover is 

 not adapted to our soil. Based on the evidence of 1915 and up 

 to the fall of 1916, an entirely different verdict would be rendered, 

 to the effect that clover would c;row almost anvwhere. Neither 

 opinion would be a just one, and the latter may need revision 

 before the harvest of 1917. The reason for the successes now so 

 much in evidence is chiefly an abundance of moisture; given this, 

 and even " the desert will blossom as the rose." In addition there 

 was a winter blanket of snow, with very little frost beneath, which 

 continued nearly or quite until April 1, and consequently no 

 alternate freezing and thawing, so fatal to the finest stands in 

 the fall. 



The wise man in any line of endeavor is not he who looks chiefly 

 for the successes, but he who seeks out reasons for possible failure. 

 With these understood and overcome or prevented, success is 

 insured. Therefore, my purpose is to point out causes of failure, 

 that suitable measures may be taken to prevent their recurrence. 

 In this connection I wish to emphasize two or three fundamental 

 facts. 



First, I would reiterate the oft-repeated statement that he 

 who can grow a crop of clover, no matter what his line of farming, 

 is well on his way to success as a farmer. Therefore, every effort 

 put forth to secure a stand is in the line of good farming. 



Secondly, it is unwise and uneconomical to sow expensive clover 

 seed on land too poor to grow a decent crop of rye — preeminently 

 the poor-land crop — or on land otherwise unsuited for any one 

 or more of the reasons given below. Were the money available 

 that has been spent for clover seed and waster becaus it was sown 

 where the chances were all against it, it would be enough to pay 



[69SJ 



