122 Our Farming. 



would contain. In experiments I have at hand this is not settled. 

 I am of the opinion, from observation of the quantity, that an acre 

 of the roots will not be worth more than half as much as the tops, 

 or say $8, but I will call it $10, which is surely high. Then, when 

 I plow an acre of this timothy sod for my potatoes, the roots and 

 stubble, with the manure from the hay, will furnish $24 worth of 

 fertilizer for the crop . Remember the amount. But now I do raise 

 clear, heavy clover, and let us see how that shows up in this same 

 line. We mow our wheat stubble once always, and usually twice 

 in the fall, clover that would make at least i )4 tons of hay goes back 

 to the soil as a fertilizer. Timothy will not make any such growth. 

 I have had clover often that would have made two tons of hay per 

 acre. The first crop the next year is cut for hay, and I aril cer- 

 tain it averages more than 2 ^ tons. The second crop usually 

 now goes back to the soil, and would make about two tons of hay 

 per acre if cut. So we have a total growth of six tons, more or 

 less. This is worth by the table, as a fertilizer, $8.20 a ton, or 

 $49.20 for the six tons. I feed out 2^ tons, and deduct for loss 

 from feeding the same per cent, as when feeding timothy, and we 

 have $46 left at least. The roots and stubble of a crop of clover 

 are equal in value, as a rule, to the top growth. That is, when I 

 cut the first crop of 2^ tons per acre, which crop is worth 

 $20.50, the root growth and stubble at the time is worth about 

 the same. It increases decidedly while the second growth is be- 

 ing made, and it cannot be far from right to estimate the entire 

 growth for season, with the stubble, at three tons per acre. I 

 think this too low, but clover shows up well enough without 

 one's being in the least unfair in comparing it with timothy. The 

 three tons are worth (same as tops per ton) $24.60. Add to the 

 tops and we have an acre of my clover furnishing $70.60 worth 

 of fertilizer $70.60 for clover against $24 for timothy. And, to 

 the best of my knowledge, this is not far from right ; at any rate, 

 there is no intentional mis-showing on either side. Now the ques- 

 tion comes up at once, where does the clover get this surplus fer- 

 tility? This excess over what the timothy has ? This is the vital 

 point. If it gets it from the soil only, the same as the timothy 

 does, why then, although it may help us for the time being help 

 us to skin the soil it is not such a great friend after all. The 

 real value of clover largely hinges on this point. We know that 

 timothy feeds in the soil directly, and it doesn't send its roots 

 very deep either. How does clover get its store of fertility ? 



First, it draws on the subsoil largely. Its roots run deep on 

 drained land. This is its nature. The rains are constantly carry- 

 ing fertility down, and clover goes down and brings it back. The 

 subsoil itself usually contains much plant food naturally, and 

 clover can get more or less of this that timothy cannot, and 

 pumps it up near the surface. Notice the root growth, how 

 admirably adapted to serve this important end. The large tap 



