41 



To this you may reply, that when we purchase 

 manure, it is all a clear gain ; hut that the clover 

 only contains what was already in the soil and air. 

 Tliis would he very plausible reasoning indeed it- 

 would have great weight, were it not an established 

 fact, as we have already shown, that land does- not 

 retain its nitric acid, hut allows the dissolving waters 

 to carry it oil' almost constantly. 



With this knowledge accepted as a great truth, the 

 careful farmer, will always, employ a trustworthy 

 collector of nature's mammal treasures. Among 

 these he will find, by long experience, that red clover 

 stands in the highest rank. 



It will always be profitable, to raise clover in every 



field on the farm, whenever other crops will permit 



it. And whenever the crop is riot heavy, w r e should 



I the land, by a free use of bone dust and plaster 



or super-phosphate of liine. 



Were all the merits of red clover emblazoned in 

 letters of gold on a large canvass, it would fail to 

 convey to the mind, a full estimate of its true value. 



The Hon. George Geddes says : "The agriculture 

 of Onondaga Co., is based on the red clover plant. 

 It is used for pasture, for hay and for manure. Strike 

 this plant out of existence and a revolution would 

 follow that would make it necessary for us to learn 

 everything anew in regard to cultivating our lands. " 



Joseph Harris says : " Raise your own clover seed, 

 and sow it with an unsparing hand. You can not 

 raise too much clover. It is the grand renovating 

 crop of America.'' 



Allen says of clover in his American Farm Book ' 

 6 



