GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



67 



CRIMSON CLOVEB. — The best time for 

 seeding- is during- July, August or Sept- 

 ember. It should be sown at the rate of 

 10 to 20 pounds to the acre. The so^ung- 

 of Crimson Clover at the last working- of 

 corn or other cultivated crops gives an 

 ideal preparation. In fact, it is surer to 

 g-et a stand in this way than if the land is 

 freshly plowed and specially prepared, as 

 freshly plowed land is usually too porous, 

 causing the seed to be covered too deeply 

 and not griving the little plant sufficient 

 root-hold after it does start, and a good 

 firm seed-bed is of prime importance to 

 secure a good stand. When Crimson Clover 

 is sown by itself, the best preparation is to 

 prepare the land some time previous to the 

 seeding-, and then wait for a rain fall on 

 the prepared soil before sowing the seed. 

 As soon after a rain as the land is dry 

 enough, a light harrow should be run over 

 the soil, in order to break the crust; then 

 sow tlie clover seed, covering afterwards 

 with a light or brush harrow. If this plan 

 is followed out, it will almost invariably 

 secure a good stand and good crop, no 

 matter what the weather may be after- 

 wards. Crimson clover, in addition to its 

 ^ great value as a soil improver, makes a 

 splendid Winter cover crop, excellent 

 grazing during the late Fall, Winter and 

 early Spring, and is one of the earliest, 

 best and most nutritious crops that can be 

 put in for cutting for early green feed. 

 Crimson Clover also makes a first-class 

 h.ay crop, provided it is cut just as it is 

 coming into bloom, before the seed forms. 

 It can be used for any of these purposes, 

 grazing, early green feed or hay, and even 

 then the condition and productiveness of 

 the land will be improved to a wonderful 

 extent wherever it is grown. 



AIiSIKi: OB SWEDISH CIiOVEB. — 



(Trifolium Hybridum). — One of tlie hardiest 

 of all clovers, resisting extremes of heat 

 and drouth and also severely cold weather 

 to a remarkable extent. It succeeds on a va- 

 riety of soils, light upland loamy lands, as 

 well as stiff bottom lands. The good 

 qualities of Alsike are being rapidly ap- 

 preciated everywhere. In this section the 

 use of Alsike is growing rapidly, not only 

 for sowing by itself, but also in mixture 

 with Red Clover. Tlie seed of Alsike 

 Clover, being much smaller than the Red 

 Clover, does not have to be sown so thickly, 

 and consequently it costs less to seed an 

 acre. The quantity of seed per acre when 

 sown alone is 7 to 10 pounds. When sown 

 in mixture with Red Clover, sow 4 to 6 

 pounds Alsike and 8 pounds Red Clover per 

 acre. 



BXJBB CLOVEB.— For the Southern 



States this is a most valuable soil-im- 

 proving and winter-grazing crop, growing 

 luxuriantly all through the winter and 

 until summer. After once being seeded, it 

 reseeds itself and improves in growth and 

 appearance each succeeding year. It is ad- 

 mirably adapted for use with Bermuda 

 Grass, and the combination of the two 

 makes a splendid all-the-year pasturage. It 

 is also well adapted for use in regular pas- 

 turages, and will give a considerable in- 

 crease in the quantity of pasturage just at 

 a time when it is most appreciated. The 

 lilant matures its seed early in the spring, 

 and produces seed abundantly after the first 

 year, and no reseeding is necessary, unless 

 the clover has been pastured so closely as 

 to prevent it from maturing into seed. 

 When sown on Bermuda Grass sod, the sod 



must be scarified to give the clover a 

 chance to get its roots In the soil below tlie 

 layer of Bermuda roots. The scarifying is 

 also beneficial to the Bermuda Grass. Burr 

 Clover produces its seeds in slender, prickly 

 pods, whicli comes spirally wound up into 

 a ball or boll. We offer the Southern-raised 

 seed in the burs and the California seed in 

 the burr and hulled. Some of our farmers 

 claim that the Southern Burr Clover grows 

 larger than the California, although it was 

 originally called the "California" or Burr 

 Clover. 



Alfalfa or Iiucerue. 



AI;fai.FA OB ZiUCEBNE.— (Medicago 



Sativa.) — Alfalfa is a deep rooting peren 

 nial plant, sending up enormous small 

 clover like shoots. The flowers are violol 

 purple, and instead of being in dense heads, 

 as in red clover, are in erect racemes. Tht- 

 seeds are in spirally coiled pods and abun 

 dantly produced. The roots will penetrate 

 to a great depth and are known to have 

 gone 10 and 12 feet deep in 3 years growth 

 It has been recorded as sending its roots 

 to a depth of over 50 feet. Its great root- 

 ing accounts for its long life and rapid 

 growth, as it consumes food, moisture and 

 the leach of fertilizers from depths entire- 

 ly beyond the action of the drouth or heat, 

 which have been for years beyond the reach 

 of ordinary plants. Where, 50 years ago, 

 sage-brush was the only sign of vegetation, 

 now fields of green alfalfa are raising the 

 crops of hay to feed sheep, hogs, horses 

 and cattle that are, every Winter, fattened 

 to supply the market. It will grow any- 

 where, from sea level to 7,500 feet eleva- 

 tion, provided the water does not stand 

 close to the surface of the ground. It 

 grows best in a rich sandy loam, underlaid 



Plant Steckler's Grass Seed Mixture, See Page 73. 



