CULTIVATION FOR SPRING CROPS. 157 



Parliament in 1905 makes this absolutely necessary. 

 Every farmer who intends to grow alsike and red 

 clover for seed must first clean his farm of weeds. 

 This can be accomplished by proper cultivation. 

 Plow the beginning of August about four inches 

 deep, then roll and harrow twice to form a mulch. 

 In about two weeks cultivate 3 inches deep; then 

 harrow; again roll and harrow to make a fine tilth 

 to encourage all the seeds in the soil to germinate. 

 Every two weeks cultivate with wide points, and 

 harrow alternately until October; then spread eight 

 or ten loads of well-rotted farm manure (free from 

 weed seeds) per acre. Rib the field as described 

 after a hoe crop. 



In the spring, level the ribs down with a harrow 

 and cultivator, then drill in either oats or spring 

 wheat, one and a quarter, or barley, one and a half 

 bushels, per acre. Sow in front of the grain spouts 

 ten pounds of pure alsike clover seed per acre, 

 entirely free from weed seeds (even timothy seed). 



The same treatment applies to red clover, which 

 should be sown at the rate of twelve pounds per 

 acre, also free from weed seeds. In the care of 

 clover, however, the ordinary mixture of red clover, 

 alsike and timothy may be sown, and the first growth 

 cut for hay, while the second growth of red clover 

 can be kept for seed. The seed from red clover is 

 matured in the second growth, on account of the 

 fertilization being done by the young bumble bees, 

 which are not sufficiently developed for the first 

 growth of red clover, as they are all hatched in the 

 spring. (Only the queen bumble bees live through 

 the winter.) 



To get the largest yield and the best quality of 

 red clover seed the first growth should be cut for 

 hay early in June, when the first clover heads appear. 



