OF AGRICULTURE. 113 



latitude (Virginia). January or February, farther 

 South, or perhaps in the fall, with wheat. Five or 

 six quarts of seed to the acre, or even four quarts, 

 according to the character of the soil, is enough to 

 secure a good stand. The seed should be mixed with 

 something to increase its bulk. The seed for an acre 

 may be thoroughly mixed with one bushel of ashes 

 arid a half bushel of plaster, finely ground. The seed 

 are sown upon the surface of the land, immediately 

 after a slight freeze, if sowed very early, and allowed 

 to settle in the land by rains. 



Cutting, etc. If the clover is designed for hay, it 

 should be cut at the period of its growth at which it 

 has the greatest nutritive value. This occurs when 

 about one-third or one-half of the heads have com- 

 menced turning brown. After this time, the sugar 

 and starch, which abound in the green stalks, are 

 rapidly converted into woody fibre. The first crop 

 of the season is most valuable for hay, but the 

 second may be cut for this purpose. 



The leaves of the clover are very abundant, and' 

 constitute a very valuable part of the hay ; but when 

 the hay is dry, they are very brittle, and liable to be 

 lost in making and stacking the crop. To prevent 

 this loss, let the clover lie in the swath until the top 

 is tolerably well cured, and then turn it over care- 

 fully with a fork, without additional tossing. 



The hay may be packed away in mows, or safely 

 stacked before it is entirely cured, if a layer of dry 

 straw a few inches thick is spread over the mow or 

 stack, for every foot in depth of hay. The straw 

 ab*sorbs the moisture of the hay, and also admits air. 

 If there is much greenness in the hay when put up, 



