360 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



deem it of some value as compared to alfalfa, and 

 also must have some reasons for sowing sweet clo- 

 ver. Here are my reasons: 



Sweet clover has proven to be as good feed for 

 all kinds of stock as alfalfa. 



It makes a better early pasture, will not bloati 

 stock, and is easier grown. 



It grows without much preparation of the ground, 

 will grow on ground too poor for any other crop, 

 and is about the best fertilizer for worn-out soil of 

 any of the clovers. 



Last year, from 120 acres of ground I got a little 

 over 900 bushels of sted, which sold for $10 to $15 

 per bushel. 



last year I sold a carload to one seed-house — the 

 urst carload lot known to have been sold by any one 

 grower of sweet clover. 



This year I harvested about 600 bushels off 200 

 acres, and it is selling at $15 per bushel for the 

 hulled, rpcleaned seed. 



I attribute the reason for sweet-clover seed beinjr 

 so high and alfalfa seed so cheap to be because al- 

 falfa will grow in only a few states profitably, while 

 sweet clover will grow in nearly every state in the 

 Union, if not in every one. 



It produces the best blossom for bees of any of 

 the clovers. 



It is a help to orchards, keeping down weeds, 

 making hay as well as fertilizing the land. 



I cut my first crop for hay the latter part of May. 

 Tlie last of August the seed is ripe, then another 

 short hay crop. You can allow the first crop to go 

 for seed, but tlie stems get pretty thick and full, io 

 that it is harder to handle. It is a biennial legume 

 plant, so t.liat the first year it does not go to seed, 

 but will seed the next year. Enough seed falls off 

 every fall to reseed the ground so that it is a con- 

 tinuous crop similar to alfalfa. 



I thrafh with a regular grain-separator, either out 

 of the stack or shocks. 



I think 10 lbs. of seed per acre is sufficient to sow 

 in this section. 



I prefer to sow in the fall and winter. The seed 

 is of a hard nature, and seems to like some freezing 

 weather. A good many have excellent success by 

 sowing in February, March, April, May, and June. 



I think a good deal depends on the season; in 

 fact, almost all. 



Prepare land about as for alfalfa. I have had 

 good success, however, by sowing right on the sod 

 and then harrowing or disking. 



The yield is about the same as alfalfa, but] it 

 makes a larger tonnage than alfalfa under similar 

 conditions. 



It seems to stand all kinds of pasturing, both in 

 the spring and fall. 



I know of some fields that are pastlured clear up 

 into May, and tlien make a good crop of seed and 

 a hay crop besides. 



I do not think it lasts as long as alfalfa for pas- 

 ture in the fall. 



There is no bad effect on the milk of cows pas- 

 luring sweet clover or eating the hay. I refer to 

 the white-blooming variety. 



I am absolutely positive about its not bloating any 

 kind of stock, and it will not give horses the heaves 

 as alfalfa sometimes will. 



A good crup of seed averages from about 4 to 15 

 bushels per acre. I have had it yield as much as 

 15 busliels per acre. 



I consider it equal to alfalfa as a feed; that is 

 the reason I am growing it in preference to alfalfa 

 — one of the reasons, at least. 



My good friend, T am sorry to say I 

 know of no way to get off the hulls of 

 sweet-clover seed without a special machine. 

 Just now I am gathering seed from that 

 special plant described in Gleanings, and 

 1 thought may be it would germinate better 

 if I could get the hulls off; but as the seed 

 was not yet dry, it seemed next to impossi- 

 ble, so I planted it with the Imlls on, and I 

 am glad to tell you it was up nicely in five 

 days from the day of planting. I think 

 seed taken direct from the plant before it is 

 dried out will germinate quicker than the 

 usual dry seed with the hulls on. 



SWEET-CLOVER SEED OETTINQ THE HULLS OFF. 



Could you tell me how to hull a small quantity of 

 wiiite-sweet-clover seed for experimental purposes? 

 Can it be done without a special machine? 



Conneaut. O., Aug. 15. D. B. Phillips. 



DRAINAGE, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH — THE 

 IMPORTANCE OF IT. 



With the light sandy soil we have down 

 in Florida, as a rule, one might think that 

 drainage is of less importance than here in 

 Ohio on our clay land; but the fact is, no 

 first-class results are secured in Florida — at 

 least in Manatee Co., without good thorough 

 drainage. My neighbor Rood has put in 

 hundreds of dollars' worth of tiles ; and our 

 experiments in tiling have shown such good 

 results that where 1 have not got in tiles I 

 have raised up the beds of soil perhaps a 

 foot or more above the paths that carry off 

 the water during our gi-eat rains. The 

 question has often come up as to whether it 

 will pay to put in tiles, and, furthermore, 

 h"bw deep to put them, how far apart, etc. 

 The clipping below, fi'om the Jacksonville 

 Tinies-Thiioii, answers it more directly than 

 aiiytliing I have before come across: 



DPAINAGE FIRST. 



" My land is iow, v/et, and sour. What kind of 

 lime should I get to sweeten it, and how much will 

 be necessary 1 " 



An-swfT. — Before applying any lime, establish 

 good drainage. This means tihat the standing watflr 

 in a hole dug the day before will not come nearer 

 than 2',^ feet to the surface of the soil, and we 

 would much prefer to have tV distance at least 

 three feet. Tliere is no surety in cultivating land 

 with good results, whatever you may do in the way 

 of liming, fertilizing, and tilling, unless you have 

 good drainage. After you have made your water 

 conditions ri^jht, apply about three tons per ac of 

 ground limestone, which should be bought ii- -ar 

 lots, minimum fifteen tons. 



Dig a hole or several holes in your garden 

 some time when it does not rain, and then 

 come around and see if Avater is standing 

 nearer tlie surface than 2^,4 feet. I suppo.se 

 2 feet would do pretty well, but no doubt 

 2y^> feet or 3 feet would be better. Keep- 

 ing watch on how high the water stands in 

 the holes you have dug \Yill aid you in 

 deciding liow deep and how far apart to 

 \)\\i the tiles. If the work is well and 

 l)roperly done, you will have something that 

 will pay you good interest year in and 

 year out for the rest of your lifetime. 



