833 THE USES AND VALUE. 



(lireotly, from tho ut!nosi)hcro, and of thoso used nono are ex- 

 ceeded Ly clover in tho lurgo i)roi)ortiou of nutrlmont tlius do- 

 rived. 



If tlie stubble und roots contain more than half of the manu- 

 rial value of red clover, and if live stock only .tpprojiriato from 

 five to ten per cent, of tho nitrogen, and the other 00 to 05 per 

 cent, goes back to the field or dung heap, it certainly must be 

 tho best practice, as u rule, to food red clover instead of plowing 

 it all under. 



I have not seen a more concise und valuable summary of this 

 matter than tho one bv tlio late Dr. Voelckcr, as found in tho 

 Journal of tho Royal Agricultural Society of England for 18G8: 



1. "A good crop of clover removes from tho soil more potash, 

 phosjihoric acid, lime, and other mineral matters, which enter 

 into the composition of the ashes of our cultivated crops, thaii 

 any other crop usually grown in this country." 



2. "There is fully three times as much nitrogen in a crop of 

 clover as in the average produce of the grain and straw of wheat 

 per acre.'' 



3. ''Xotwithstanding the largo amount of nitrogenous matter 

 of ash constituents of plants in the produce of an acre, clover is 

 an excellent j^reparatory crop for wheat.'' 



4. ''During the growth of clover a largo amount of nitro- 

 genous matter accumulates in tho soil." 



0. *' This accumulation, which is greatest in tho surface soil, 

 is duo to decaying leaves dropped during the growth of clover, 

 and to an abuiulance of roots, containing, when dry, from If to 

 H per cent, of nitrogen." 



G. "The clover roots are stronger and more numerous, and 

 more leaves fall on the ground, when clover is grown for seed, 

 than when it is mown for hay; in consequence more nitrogen is 

 left after clover seed than after hay, which accounts for wheat 

 yielding a better crop after clover seed than after hay." 



