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J. STECKLER SEED CO., LTD., ALMANAC AND 



by a loose and permeable subsoil. It 

 stands drouth better than any other cul- 

 tivated grass. Alfalfa is grown more or 

 less in every State or territory in the 

 Union, from the Atlantic to the Pacific 

 coast; in Canada in the north and in 

 Mexico in the south. 



Its use as a forage plant is geting more 

 and more every year. It is hardy and 

 stands our Winter better than any other 

 kind of clover. The seed should be sown 

 about one inch deep. The seed does best 

 planted here in Louisiana in late Fall, dur- 

 ing September, October or November, 

 while it is planted almost the year round. 

 The way to plant it to be successful is as 

 follows: The ground should be thoroughly 

 plowed, leaving no weeds. Plow first one 

 way and then crossways, making thorough 

 drainage, allow no water to remain on the 

 seed beds or meadow, nor around them. To 

 be successful it should be planted three 

 consecutive years, The first year, work as 

 above with 30 pounds of seed broadcast. 

 The second year, about the same time, 20 

 pounds of the seed, without disturbing the 

 ground. The third year, about the same 

 time, 15 pounds of seed, without disturbing 

 the ground; but simply broadcasting the 

 seed by hand in the gaps, for no matter 

 how careful you are in sowing the seed 

 you will have gaps. Then you will have a 

 meadow forever. 



All farm animals are very fond of Al- 

 falfa, green or dry, and it is calculated that 

 one acre will, during the growing season 

 from May till October add 50 pounds of 

 meat to each of the 12 or 15 growing pigs 

 which can be kept on it. Even the chickens 

 and other fowls will, in Winter, devour 

 with relish a mash made up of scalded 

 Alfalfa leaves mixed with bran and corn 

 chop, and will amply repay the careful 

 keeper by filling the egg basket with eggs, 

 when they are worth 35 and 40 cents a 

 dozen. Bees do very well on a field of Al- 

 falfa in bloom, and bee keepers are sure 

 of a good crop of honey, the finest, richest, 

 thickest, whitest and best fiavored in the 

 world. 



BOEHABA Mi:Z.IZ.OTUS OB SIVBET 

 CIiOVEB. — (White and Yellow Bloom.) — A 

 hardy perennial Clover, growing wild in 

 many sections, particularly the prairie 

 States. Will thrive and prosper wherever 

 Blue Grass, Red Clover and Alfalfa grow. 

 May be sown in most any month; late Fall 

 and early Spring is considered best. A 

 frequent practice is to sow it with Winter 

 grain. Flowers furnish abundant forage 

 for bees. 



JAPAN CIsOVEB.— A legume. Southern 

 seed. Grows anywhere; is tenacious in any 

 soil; lasts always; well known now in the 

 South. Sow in late Fall and Spring in per- 

 manent pastures by scarifying 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 till 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. Introduced here several years ago, 

 it has proven one of the best hay and for- 

 age crops of the continent, the record of 

 its family kin in the North not being 

 nearly so good nor so advantageous. 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 



'^'^CLOVEK ,L.sPeo«^^^^^'' 



wlien 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 

 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. The clover seed should not be 

 planted 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 

 harrow marks and will not be blown or 

 washed off. There is a mistaken idea that 

 Lespedeza 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 somewhat. Horses and mules 

 will keep fat on it alone if not doing hard 

 work. Mares and colts will keep in excel- 

 lent 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 competition 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.) 



Steckler's Mixed Lawn Grass Will Make Your Lawn BeautifuL 



