MANURES AND HUMUS IN SOIL. 171 



I spent hundreds of dollars, but as the land was too poor to take 

 In grass to do any good, the labor and seed were lost, as the 

 condition of the land grew worse with each season until seven 

 years ago, when I took up sweet clover, with the result that to- 

 day the land is in fine shape, either being cultivated and produc- 

 ing good crops or in fine blue grass sod, and while producing this 

 effect the land yielded an abundance of pasture and hay. And 

 oh, what a relief to be rid of the sight of those unsightly barren 

 and washed hillsides. 



It is a biennial, makes fine pasture the first season and 

 abundant crop of pasture, hay or seed the second season. There 

 are two varieties — white and yellow — the latter being generally 

 preferred for hay, as it does not grow so coarse; it grows from 

 two to four feet high, while the white will double this growth 

 under same conditions, and makes splendid hay if properly man- 

 aged; makes more and later pasture and builds land up much 

 quicker. Each is good for all kinds of stock; does not bloat 

 cattle or sheep; is one of the best honey plants known. It is a 

 leguminous plant, the strongest within our knowledge. When 

 once established it requires no further seeding as it reseeds 

 itself. After It has once seeded, the, land may be cultivated two 

 or three years and a good stand follow without reseeding. 



Sown at any season of the year, you are sure to get enough 

 to secure a catch by waiting and allowing it to seed and spread, 

 but of course it is desirable to get a good stand at once, for which 

 I advise sowing from Dec. 1 to March 1, on top of land without 

 covering. Or if sown later, say to the first of May, it should be 

 harrowed or brushed in. 



It can be sown with small grain of any kind either in spring 

 or fall. If sown in early fall it should be covered sufficiently 

 deep to prevent germination until spring. Good results are had 

 by sowing on stony washed and barren hills during the winter 

 months without previous preparation of the land, as the seed 

 will be carried down by the frequent freeze and thaw. The seed 

 should never be sown on snow or hard frozen ground, as it is 

 liable to be carried off by following rains. Good blue grass 

 sod can be had in three to four years on this class of land by 

 sowing the two seeds together; all grasses do much better grown 

 with sweet clover. 



To illustrate the rapidity with which sweet clover is gaining 

 favor, I will state that in 1903 I saved one bushel of seed. In 

 1904 I saved four bushels of seeds. I wrote articles which were 

 published in the county paper, describing its habits and quali- 

 ties. I continued to recommend it locally and in 1905 saved 



