No. 4.] GRASS AND CLOVER. 131 



tility. KnoAving that a soil was in a badly "run-down" 

 condition, I would, by increased tillage and the turning 

 under of such crops as buckwheat or rye, which will grow on 

 such soils, first l)ring that soil up to a higher state of fertil- 

 ity before I attempted the clover. 



Thirdly, many of the grasses thrive well in rather poorly 

 drained land ; but not so with clover. It sends its roots far 

 down into well-drained soils, bringing up plant food out of 

 the reach of most shallower-rooted crops. It will not, hoAv- 

 ever, send its roots down through standing water, and I 

 would not recommend the sowing of clover seed on lands 

 where the water table is nearer than S^^ to 4 feet to the 

 surface. Not only will the plants not send their roots down, 

 but a water-logged soil prevents proper circulation of the air, 

 and is also death to the nitrifying bacteria, — the two things 

 already pointed out as being essential and fundamental in 

 clover growing. 



Fourthly, the clovers are classed as " lime-loving" plants. 

 It is almost useless to attempt to grow clover in an "acid" 

 soil. It may thrive for a short time, but usually dies out 

 before the second season. As nearly as can be determined 

 at present, soil bacteria do not thrive, either, under these 

 conditions. I have reached the point where, from our own 

 experience and from close observation, I am almost willing 

 to say that all over New England, except in limestone re- 

 gions, the neglect of this one condition is responsible for 

 more failures in clover production than all others put to- 

 gether. Clay soils are especially responsive to liming. We 

 lime our lands once during a rotation in the way I have pre- 

 viously outlined. 



We now come to the discussion of that part of our subject 

 about which we know the least ; and in what knowledge we 

 do have, agriculturists differ widely. I refer to the nmch- 

 discussed subject of soil bacteria and soil inoculation. While 

 the subject itself is not very new, it has been less than 

 twenty years since Hellriegel's discoveries have been made 

 knoAvn, and since which time the actual work with the bac- 

 teria and soil inoculation began. Of all the new agricultural 

 subjects of recent times, I think this has created the most 



