GRASSES. 187 



pense. Eed Clover. Although the clovers are not properly 

 grasses they are practically treated as such, and form the basis 

 of much of the best husbandry of the country. It is cultivated 

 for four distinct purposes; for hay, for pasture, for seed, and for 

 manure. When for hay, sov/ on ^vinter wheat in the spring, 

 either on the snow, or, as soon as the snow is off, harrow the 

 surface and sow to the acre eight pounds clover seed, eight of 

 orchard grass, four of timothy and two of red top. 



Clover is distinctly a lime plant, and the soils in which it 

 thrives the best, are stiff loams containing lime. Lime should 

 also be sown either with the seed or as soon as it is up. One 

 or two bushels of plaster or gypsum will be sujlicient where 

 the soil already contains considerable lime. If the plaster is 

 not sown in the spring sow on the stubble as soon as the grain 

 is off. 



Do not pasture the young clover in the fall; and the next 

 spring sow plaster again as before. Cut when the heads hegin 

 to ripen, and sow plaster again. If a crop for seed is desired 

 cut the first crop earlj^, before a seed ripens, and sow no plaster 

 after the first cutting. The seed crop should stand until two 

 thirds of the heads are ripe. 



Clover and timothy are often seeded with the wheat in ths 

 fall, but, as we have stated elsewhere, clover and timothy are 

 not so well adapted for each other as clover and orchard grass, 

 and, as we shall attempt to show further on, no two grasses should 

 be sown by themselves. Clover is apt to be winter-killed unless 

 the land is top dressed, of which we shall speak in another 

 place. 



Cutting and Curing for hay stould be ordinarily done just 

 as the earliest heads begin to ripen. Cut no more than you can 

 cock at once. As soon as it is fairly wilted, cock it, and let it 

 cure in the cock. Handle as little as possible. Mow or stack 



