78 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



but when sowing the seed is deferred until late in 

 the spring or until summer, the seed bed may be 

 made clean near the surface by the frequent use of 

 the harrow between the opening of spring and the 

 sowing of the seed. 



When growing clover for soiling, it is very 

 important that heavy yields shall be obtained, since 

 a heavy crop is so much easier to gather than a light 

 one. The former may easily be lifted, and with 

 sufficient cleanness, without using a rake; whereas, 

 the latter would require to be raked, thus adding very 

 much to the labor of gathering the crop, and to the 

 area of land required to grow it. One great advan- 

 tage from growing soiling crops, viz., that of 

 intensive production, would thus be defeated. It 

 is always expedient, therefore, to make land quite 

 rich that is to grow clover for soiling, when it is not 

 so already, by the addition of fertilizers. Of these, 

 farmyard manure is certainly one of the best; and 

 when applied it will of course feed the nurse crop as 

 well as the clover. The kind or kinds of commercial 

 fertilizer or fertilizers that may be employed with 

 most advantage will depend upon the needs of the 

 land. Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash are 

 most frequently needed, but in quantities that vary 

 ■according to conditions, and in many instances 

 lime acts very beneficially. On some soils the 

 growing of the clover is greatly stimulated by sow- 

 ing on the young plants when the period of growth 

 is beginning or has already begun, an application of 

 gypsum, usually not less than 100 pounds per acre 

 and not more than 300 pounds. In other instances, 

 marked benefit results from sowing wood ashes. 



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