294 AGRICULTURE FOR BEGINNERS 



When the first blossoms appear in the early summer, it is 

 time to start the mower. After this the alfalfa should be 

 cut every two, three, or four weeks. The number of times 

 depends on the rapidity of growth. 



This crop rarely makes a good yield the first year ; but 

 if a good stand be secured that year, the yield steadily 

 increases. After a good stand has been secured, a top 

 dressing of either commercial fertilizer or stable manure 

 will be very helpful. An occasional cutting up of the 

 alfalfa sod with a disk harrow does much good. 



Clovers. The different kinds of clovers will sometimes 

 grow on hard or poor soil, but they do far better if the 

 soil is enriched and properly prepared before the seed is 

 sowed. In many parts of our country, it has been the prac- 

 tice for generations to sow clover seed with some of the 

 grain crops. Barley, wheat, oats, and rye are the crops with 

 which clover is most usually planted, but many good far- 

 mers now prefer to sow the seed only with other grass seed. 

 Circumstances must largely settle the manner of seeding. 



Crimson clover, which is a winter legume, usually does 

 best when seeded alone, although rye or some other grain 

 often seems helpful to it. This kind of clover is an excel- 

 lent crop with which to follow cotton or corn. It is most 

 conveniently sowed at the last cultivation of these crops. 



Common red clover, which is the standard clover over 

 most of the country, is usually seeded with timothy or 

 orchard grass or some other of the grasses. In sowing 

 both crimson and red clover, about ten pounds of seed 

 for each acre are used. 



To make good pastures, white and Japan clover are favor- 

 ites. White clover does well in most parts of America and 



