FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 63 



little; while, at the same time, when ploughed under, it 

 forms a good green-dressing for the soil. 



Green clover is a good food for Swine, during Summer ; 

 and clover- hay, when boiled, is also found to be a good food 

 for them, during Winter. Mr, Livingston makes mention 

 of a Farmer at Rhinebeck, who fed his Hogs, during Win- 

 ter, with no other food but boiled clover, and that they 

 were kept in good condition. The clover used for them 

 was preserved by being salted, a half peck to a load. It 

 was cut and left in winrows about six hours, then put into 

 small cocks. The next day, about noon, these were open* 

 ed ; towards evening they were hauled home, and laid away 

 with salt, which kept the hay green all the year. 

 See further, SWINE, and STEAMBOILER. 



The quantity of red-cloverseed, to be sown to the acre, 

 is about fourteen pounds, and none but clean seed ought to 

 be sown. 



The best crops with which to sow clover, are barley, 

 oats, and Spring- wheat. It is, however, frequently sown 

 in the Spring, on Winter- wheat, or rye; but in this way it 

 often happens that the seeds do not grow, owing to their 

 not being covered. This difficulty may, however, be obvi- 

 ated, by giving the ground a brushing, by draging a large 

 bunch of bushes, tied together, over it, where the land is 

 rough; or by giving, it a light harrowing, where it is 

 smooth ; either of which methods, but particularly the lat- 

 ter, will be a benefit to the growth of wheat or rye. It 

 may also be sown with Winter- wheat, or rye, in the Fall; 

 but there is danger in that case of its being killed by the 

 succeeding Winter. 



Clover yields two crops in the season, if the land be in 

 good heart ; unless it be in the northerly parts of the State, 

 where the second growth will generally be too small to 

 mow to advantage, and is, therefore, best to be fed off. 



When a crop of red-cloverseed is to be raised, let it be 

 from the last crop of the second year ; as suffering the crop 

 to ripen injures the roots for a succeeding crop. In the 

 first crop, of either season, very little seed is to be found. 

 In more northerly climates, where a second crop is scarce- 

 ly to be afforded, let the clover be pastured the second 

 year, until about the tenth of June ; and then let it grow 

 up for the seed-crop, which is to stand till the seeds are 

 fully ripe. 



As this growth, when it has stood so long, is of but little 

 value for hay, we believe the best plan is merely to cut off, 

 with the sickle, so much of the crop as to gather all the 

 heads; and then to turn the rest under with the plough, as 

 a green-dressing for the soil. 



$ GREEN-DRESSING. 



