\N ARGUMEXT FOR THOSE WHO INSIST THAT IT IS A B^ 



WEED. 



When I began keeping bees, 15 or 16 years ago, 

 there was an abundance of sweet clover growing 

 along the railroad near where I lived; and although 

 I knew very little about bees I took from 75 to 150 

 lbs. of honey per colony. A lav/ was passed com- 

 pelling the railroads to cut all bushes, weeds, etc., 

 along their tracks, and they soon destroyed the sweet 

 clover. Then my honey-yields shrunk to from 25 

 to 50 lbs. per colony, not-withstanding my increased 

 knowledge of the business. Since coming here (three 

 years this coming spring) I have sown 140 lbs. of 

 sweet clover, and have very little to show for it. I 

 have about 20 acres on my farm that will raise fair 

 crops of rye, corn, buckwheat, etc., and I am willing 

 to pay ^100 to have it v/ell seeded to sweet clover. 

 Here is a chance for Mr. Lewis A. Sawyer, or some 

 other sweet-clover kicker. H. J. Northkup. 



Jonesville, N. Y., Jan. 5, 1899. 



ITS VALUE FOR BRINGING UP POOR GROUND AND UNPRO- 



DUCTI\E CLAY. 



Right adjoining our premises is a bank of earth 

 thrown out of a railroad cut. This soil came out 

 or the cut from a depth of ten or twelve feet. Some 

 years ago I got permission of the railway company 

 to use it by way of experiment. Of course, nothing 

 would grow on it — that is, nothing but sweet clover, 

 which is already along the railroad. We let it grow 

 up and scatter seed until last spring, when I saw 

 there was a dense growth of thick, succulent stalks, 

 aoout two feet high. When we were plowing under 

 the clover in the field adjoining, I directed our 

 folks to turn under the sweet clover, and said 

 we would try it with Carman potatoes. The potatoes 

 came up rank and strong, to my great surprise, and 

 we have just been digging them, and I was sur- 

 prised again to find some of the handsomest, cleanejp^* 

 potatoes on that hard, unproductive clay bank th? 

 I ever raised anywhere. There was not a particle 



42 



