GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



183 



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A " CLOVER (usw*^?^ 



JAPAN CLOVER. 

 (Lespedeza Striata.) 



A legume. Southern seed. Grows any- 

 where; is tenacious in any soil; lasts al- 

 ways; well known now in the South. Sow 

 in spring- in permanent pastures by scari- 

 fying- surface with disc harrow. It may be 

 classed among the most valuable hay and 

 pasture plants of the Southern States; is 

 eaten greedily by stock — June until frost. 

 In some soils it grows 20 inches high; is 

 mowed; two tons to acre; rich soil grows 

 30 inches; appears in May; can plant in 

 spring 25 pounds, or one bushel per acre 

 alone, or in the fall with rye and oats. 

 This clover is spreading by natural means 

 rapidly through the whole South. 



As important to the Southern farmer as 

 crimson clover is to the farmer and stock 

 raiser of the North is Lespedeza, the 

 Japanese clover that has been found to be 

 particularly adapted to the soils and cli- 

 mate of the States bordering on the Gulf 

 and even further to the North. Introduced 

 here several years ago, it has proven one 

 of the best hay and forage crops of the 

 continent, the record of its family kin in 

 the North not being nearly so good nor so 

 advantageous. 



Inasmuch as Lespedeza is comparatively 

 a ne " crop, it is probable that in general, 

 Mr. Farmer, you are not familiar with the 

 habits of the plant. For this reason we 

 print for your benefit the following facts 

 from one who has made a specialty of this 

 clover both for forage and for seed: 



"The best time to sow the seed is from 

 December to March 1st, but can be sowed 

 as late as during month of April. The best 

 time for harvesting for hay only is just 

 when the clover is in bloom, but for hay 

 and seed both, just when the seeds are 

 about full grown. The clover blooms here 

 from about August 15th to October 1st, 

 according to the character of the soil and 

 its richness. In poor, thin soil it will ma- 

 ture much earlier than in rich, and thin 

 land will produce much more seed. 



"The real and ideal way to start and 

 maintain a Lespedeza field in a country 

 where oats can be planted, is to plant oats, 

 having the land in thoroughly good shape, 

 and so-.v the clover at any time after the 

 oats are up until the 1st of March. When 

 the oats are harvested, the clover will be 

 up ready to grow off. Now, I venture to 



say that if the land is properly handled 

 after that first planting, it would be years 

 before it would need reseeding. 



"After about three years the weeds will 

 naturally begin to grow, then the land can 

 be plowed very shallow in the fall and 

 another crop of oats grown without reseed- 

 ing; with clover. This can be kept up in- 

 definitely, provided the hay is thoroughly 

 ripe vhen cut. The hay at all times 

 should be cut either early enough to put 

 on a second growth in the fall to make 

 seed or not cut until the seed is ripe. The 

 fields can be grazed as late as the 1st or 

 middle of July and a good crop made, but 

 stock should not be allowed to run on the 

 fields in wet weather, particularly when the 

 ground is boggy. 



"The most redeeming quality of the 

 Japan Clover is that it will build up old 

 worn out lands and make a nice profit at 

 the same time, and most any kind of a 

 farmer can raise it, if he has money 

 enough to buy seed. It does not require 

 many teams or much labor. In other- 

 words, it is a fine crop for a poor man, 

 better for a wealthy one and best of all 

 for a lazy one. 



"I started to raise Lespedeza about seven 

 years ago, as I was buying $800 to $1,000 

 worth of hay from one of my neighbors 

 who raised it on a 40-acre farm and had 

 all he wanted for his own stock and sold 

 more elsewhere. I raised all I wanted the 

 first year I started and I was so well 

 pleased with my profits that I have this 

 year 300 acres, not meaning by this that 

 I am extra lazy, as I have 200 in corn, 10& 

 in cotton and 265 in cane to keep me busy 

 in between time of hay planting and har- 

 vesting. 



"The clover seed should not be planted 

 i on land very loose and mellow, as heavy 

 rains will bury them too deep. If planted 

 where there are no oats, the land should be 

 prepared and leveled and let it get a good 

 rain to settle it. Then scar it with a 

 broadcast harrow and follow with the 

 sowing, as the seed will lodge in the har- 

 row marks and will not be blown or 

 washed off." 



There is a mistaken idea that Lespedezc 

 is killed by frost in the Southern part of 

 the United States. We have the testimony 

 of one farmer who has been raising this 

 hay for twenty years for his own use and 

 has never had it killed by frost, although 

 at one time a late freeze nipped it some- 

 what. 



Horses and mules will keep fat on Hl 

 alone if not doing hard work. Mares and 

 colts will keep in excellent condition on 

 Lespedeza alone, while cows will give an 

 abundance of milk and butter if fed on 

 this hay. 



We are told, "To try all things, prove all 

 things, hold fast to that which is good." If 

 any one will try feeding his stock with 

 well cured, pure Lespedeza hay in com- 

 petition with hay from any section of the 

 country, and will hear the verdict as to 

 which is best for the stock, Lespedeza will 

 surely win out. 



Lespedeza is the cheapest restorer for 

 worn-out lands the Southern farmer can 

 find, and the easiest made and best hay 

 that can be grown in the South. (1 bushel 

 per acre.) 



Well cultivated, heavy seed will be 

 scarce, we therefore urge prospective pur- 

 chasers to buy early. 



For Prices see Red Pages in back of 

 book. 



Plant Pecan Trees, it is a Sure and Safe Investment. 



