RED CLOVER 133 
seed, upon our fertile farms, if we would save them 
from the doom of “clover sick” soils. 
To get the best growth of clover we must have vegeta- 
ble or organic matter in the soil. The author is of the 
opinion that herein lies the secret of the cause of “ clover 
sick” soils, they lack the necessary organic matter to 
produce the necessary soil ventilation and food to pre- 
pare a suitable home for the soil bacteria that clover 
must have for its successful growth. 
The author has been watching a series of experiments 
being conducted on some worn-out clay lands that were 
“clover sick.” Years ago all the organic matter had been 
farmed out of these lands. Organic matter was again 
put into these lands by the growing of rye, vetch, sor- 
ghum and the use of manure, and all plowed under as 
deep as possible with a disc plow, and planted to corn, 
and again planted to rye and vetch and the entire crop 
of cornstalks, rye and vetch plowed under again. After 
a few years of this method of getting organic matter 
into this soil it was in such condition that fine crops of 
clover have been produced upon them. And that part 
of these lands upon which no manure was put, but only 
crops of rye, vetch, sorghum and cornstalks were plowed 
under, grew clover as well as the manured parts. 
The successful growing and judicious use of clover 
on the farm only makes it a valuable fertilizing crop to 
the farmer. A judicious use of clover means that if the 
farmer thinks he must grow it for hay or seed, then he 
must follow it with other crops that will either produce 
organic matter or allow the use of other organic matter 
