Sowing Clover, Timothy and Hungarian Grass Seed. 237 



in it, and timothy hay be the yield of wheat made more or 

 less, sow in the fall when you put in wheat (for this section) 

 every time. That is the safest and ' best time for the good of 

 the timothy. But your clover will not stand as good a chance. 

 When you sow the clover seed in the spring you are sowing 

 on a wheat and timothy sod. It has a very poor chance 

 not anything like an even race with the timothy. Again, often 

 in this latitude, wheat is injured some during the winter, and the 

 timothy starts first in the spring and crowds the wheat all the 

 season, and the farmer is at a loss whether to cut the field for 

 wheat or hay. I have seen thousands of acres in this condition. 

 Now, that was good for the timothy, but often took five or ten 

 bushels from the wheat yield. This is hardly business. At any rate, 

 it did not suit me, for I have been there, both in the raising of tim- 

 othy wheat and timothy clover. My first step towards something 

 better was to sow the timothy about two weeks after I did 

 my wheat, say near October ist. This was a little better for 

 clover and wheat, but not as safe for timothy. Next, I went 

 further and sowed both timothy and clover in the spring. The 

 timothy was sown early, same as the clover. This was much 

 better for me, for what I wanted. The timothy could not injure 

 the wheat. The clover had an even chance with the timothy, 

 and being the rankest grower, usually came out ahead. I had 

 clover hay with more or less timothy in it. This makes good 

 hay, easier cured than clear clover, and the crop stands up better. 

 If hay was an important crop with me I should still do this way. 

 This gave me more fertilizing effect from the clover than I had 

 had before. But late years I am getting more yet, I believe, by 

 sowing only clover seed. This evolution has been a gradual one, 

 as I have felt my way along and been governed by results. Tim- 

 othy comes in some years in my clover ; but I have not sown 

 any lately. 



I think that in the above, many who read this book will be 

 able to see why they have not got much returns from growing 

 clover. I remember how one writer said some years ago when I 

 was urging the sowing of more clover seed : ' ' Why we all sow 

 clover. Farmers do not think around here of seeding down with- 

 out sowing in some clover seed in the spring. But we do not see 

 any particular results from it as a fertilizer." No, and there is a 

 good reason why. They do not grow much clover. It does not 

 have much chance as ordinarily managed around here, neither at 

 the start nor later. I have made a good deal out of it the way I 

 manage. In fact, this book would never have been written, and 

 you would never have heard of the writer, if it hadn't been for 

 clover. I do not advise on this point at all, as our circumstances 

 differ, but I have told you just what I have done and the results 

 and why I did it. Now, you can study out what is best for you 

 to do on your farm. 



