Soiling Crops. 167 



continued freezing and thawing it will be largely 

 killed. . . . 



The New Jersey Experiment Station has shown 

 by analysis that ' a crop of this clover six inches 

 high has accumulated nitrogen per acre that would 

 cost $15 to buy; at thirteen inches high, $25.50 to 

 buy per acre, while at full maturity it is worth $30 

 per acre. ' 



" The following are some of the points to be kept 

 in mind in sowing crimson clover for the North : Get 

 home-grown seed, not imported, sow early in July, 

 and depend upon growth only up to December. 

 Sow only with the object to improve the soil; sow to 

 keep down weeds, and for a winter covering to the 

 soil. The better the previous cultivation, the 

 greater will be the growth. It is adapted to all 

 kinds of soil, but especially to sandy soil. If the 

 soil is rather poor, apply 250 Ib. of muriate of pot- 

 ash per acre to give it a more vigorous start. If 

 farmers will study this plant, and use it judiciously, 

 it will be the cheapest way possible to build up run- 

 down land. Nitrogen, the most expensive plant 

 food, need not be purchased, only potash and phos- 

 phoric acid occasionally, thus saving much of the 

 present heavy outlay for commercial fertilizers. 



" The possibilities for improvement by the use of 

 crimson clover are far greater than farmers realize. 

 It must not be condemned on one or two trials when 

 red clover has failed in many places for the past 

 twenty years." 



