FARMEKS' INSTITUTES. 293 



clover plant draws largely, yes, chiefly, upon this grand and ever present source 

 and fountain for its supply of this nourishmant. A large proportion of the 

 nitrogen tlius obtained is left; in the surface soil for the use of any crop follow- 

 ing. It is well known to all western farmers that if they can succeed in rais- 

 ing a good crop of clover to turn under in July or August, they are almost sure 

 of a good crop of wheat following. Land in clover grows richer in nitrogen 

 although you carry off heavy burdens of clover hay. In two tons of clover hay 

 there are carried out of the soil, according to the calculations of chemists, over 

 300 pounds of mineral constituents and over 100 pounds of nitrogen ; and yet 

 the soil from which it was just taken if put into wheat will yield a full crop of 

 that cereal, which also requires a large percentage of these very mineral ingre- 

 dients and of this same nitrogen. This is most remarkable, and tiie phenom- 

 enon is apparently antagonistic and questionable. But practical farmers know 

 that these are truths, and so also do scientific men. One thing in farming 

 depends upon some other thing, and happy indeed is the farmer who knows just 

 how and where this dependence exists and how to use the relationship. Clover 

 requires the same mineral food that wheat does, the same nitrogen that wheat 

 does, and yet it is the best crop to precede wheat with that can be used. Tlie clover 

 crop taken off the land is the best manure for wheat. How strange, and yet I 

 have no doubt our scientific friends can account for the seeming contradiction 

 and anomaly. It is found to be true that if the clover is allowed to go to seed 

 it makes a better preparation for wheat than if mown earlier for hay. There 

 is a larger proportion of nitrogen and available mineral matter in the soil than 

 when the clover is fed off or cut for hay. Clover appears to bring within the 

 reach of the grain crop a large amount of mineral matter ready for use — made 

 so by some subtle process which science is looked to to explain. Its roots bore 

 down into the soil and sub-soil to a great depth and breadth, permitting the 

 air to go down also, loaded with nitrogen and carbonic acid. The roots take 

 up a portion of the nitrogen and hold it in store against the needs of the suc- 

 ceeding crop, when it is given off in another form — that of ammonia, I believe. 

 They also draw in phosphoric acid and potash until they are arrested in their 

 intricate and inimitable work by the ruthless plow-share, which turns them up 

 to light and heat. They decompose gradually, leaving large amounts of min- 

 eral matters, which the implements of culture distribute pretty evenly through 

 the soil. 



There is nothing in tlie whole range of nature's operations in connection 

 with soil-culture so interesting, so remarkable and important to the farmer as 

 is this clover growing as a grain fertilizer. It is better than guano for the 

 western farmer — costing him nothing compared to the cost of guano or other 

 commercial fertilizers and serving the purpose better. It fills the soil with 

 available nitrogenous and mineral matters, and the more we grow the bettor we 

 are off. AVhether the farmer turns over a clover sod for wheat, corn, barley, 

 oats, or potatoes he feels certain that a good crop will follow, let the season be 

 favorable or not. As was remarked before, it has been proved by one of the 

 agricultural chemists — I cannot now recall which one — that clover, allowed to 

 go to seed, furnished a much larger amount of nitrogen to the soil than when 

 it was cut twice for hay, and that a better crop of wheat can be grown in such 

 case. The reason of this is, probably, that when allowed to ripen seed all the 

 leaves fall on to the surface and the roots grow larger. The main portion of 

 nitrogen left by the clover is found in the first six inches of soil. At the depth 

 of a foot there is very little and none, or only a trace in the sub-soil. 



