704 Grasses and LEGirMiisrous Crops in I^eav York 



multiply. In this connection T wonld say that usually it is not 

 necessary to sow the bacteria of red clover. It is true, however, 

 that occasionally good results are obtained by inoculation, as with 

 alfalfa. A soil may be so acid as to have destroyed all bacteria ; 

 or so long a period may have elapsed since clover was grown on 

 the land, or manure from clover-fed stock applied, that the bacteria 

 are no longer present. When other conditions seem right and clover 

 still fails, I should recommend an application of bacteria, either 

 in soil from an old clover field or in a prepared culture applied 

 to the seed. It will, however, be of no use to sow bacteria unless 

 there is moisture enough and soil conditions are such as to keep 

 it alive and allow it to multiply. 



POORLY PREPARED LAND 



While it is true that for the past two years we have seen clover 

 grow on the poor earth along the highway and other like places, 

 we must keep in mind that only an abundance of water has made 

 this possible. Many a crop failure is due to soil so poorly fitted 

 that the tiny plant roots caimot penetrate, even when there is 

 enouffh soil to cover them. A clod of earth mav be ever so full 

 of plant food, lime, and bacteria, but, so long as it remains a clod, 

 no film water can surround anything except the outside particles. 

 As no roots can penetrate it, all the good it contains will be of 

 little worth to the clover. A well-fitted fine soil holds much more 

 moisture, and plant roots easily and deeply penetrate it and get 

 hold of plant food. 



Unquestionably, much seed dies because it is poorly covered. 

 This is particularly true when clover is sown in spring on winter 

 grain. It sprouts quickly when near the surface, sometimes to 

 be injured by lato frosts, or, escaping this, dies from drought or 

 heat after the protecting grain has been removed. I have found 

 no better time to sow on winter gi*ain than in the spring on a 

 morniuff when the ground was honevcombed with frost, the seed 

 then working into the cracks to a sufiicient depth to insure pro- 

 tection and, later, deeper rooting. Following with a roller after 

 the ground is dry enough to bear it will materially assist. There 

 are now on the market seeders with small disks which are to be 

 recommended for sowing clover seed on grain land. 



