GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES, biel 
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the spring or fall, and do not fet it stand until it gets ; 
too ripe before cutting, as any gaain that yields 
well shells easily. In the green state it makes an 
excellent pasture. Has given good results bothin 
Texas and Oklahoma. 
Alsike or Swedish Clover. 
Comes from the little province of Alsike in Sweden. 
One of the  hardiest varieties known; is perennial 
and does not winter kill; stands alike drouth or wet. 
A great favorite with bee keepers, as it has flowers 
having asweet and agreeable odor and affords ex- 
cellent forage for bees. Sow 5to8 pounds to the 
acre. 
> Trifolium Incarnatum. 
Crimson Clover. Crimson Clover, an an- 
nual variety, which is a native of a warm climate, 
has not been grown as extensively as it deserves to 
be. It has been highly praised up asa forage plant, 
said to be equally as good for pasturage as well as 
for mowing and to do better in poor worn out soil 
than any other variety. It certainly has attracted a 
great deal of attention in the South during past 
years, and the Experiment Stations of Louisianaand 
other Southern States speak highly of it. It has 
been grown for years in the South of France and 
Germany, with great success and owing to its quick 
growth it is a very desirable variety. Asa forage 
plant it may be mowed twice and then plowed un- 
der, thereby acting as a fertilizer and renovating the 
exhausted soil. In the Southern States Crimson 
Clover should be sown in the months of October 
and November. However, it may be sown with good 
results as late as Januiry and February and will 
produce a fine crop. The demand for this variety of 
Clover has increased considerably of late years. 
From 10 to 20 pounds should be sown per acre. 
Burr Clover. (Medicago Macculata.) This 
variety of Clover was brought 
from Chili to California and thence to the States 
under the name of California Clover. It is often 
taken for Lucerne, which name is wrongly applied. 
The Burr Clover has only two or three yellow blos- 
soms in each cluster, while the Lucerne has many 
blue blossoms in an elongated head. It furnishes 
good grazing from February till April or May. It is 
also good for hay. Sow, hulled, 20 pounds tothe 
acre; in the burr, 1 bushel measure. 
(Medicago Sativa.) 
Alfalfa or Lucerne. Alfalfa is a deep 
rooting perennial plant, sending up numerous small 
clover like shoots. The flowezs are violet purple, 
and instead of being in dense heads, as in red 
clover, are in erect racemes. Theseeds are in spirally 
coiled pods and abundantly 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 rooting accounts for its long 
life and rapid growth, as it consumes food, moisture 
and the leach of fertilizers from depths entirely be- 
yond the action of the drought or heat, which have 
been for years beyond the reach or 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 anywhere, from sea level to 
7,500 feet elevation, provided the water does not 
stand close to the surface of the ground. It grows 
best in arich sandy loam, underlaid by a loose and 
permeable subsoil. It is a heavy feeder on lime, 
potash and phosphoric acid, but most essentially on 
lime, which is so common in this country, and 
which produces its rapid growth. Alfalfa will thrive 
well in any kind of soil except where it is wet; it is 
a forage plant fordry lands and it is known to have 
yielded one and two crops a year, in places, where 
othercrops have failed entirely. Though it will do 
best in arich sandy loam, it stands drought better 
than any other cultivated 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. 
Our Motto: 
Tis use as a forage ve ‘fis getting more and more 
every year. It is hardy and stands our winter bet 
ter than any other kind of clover. The seed shoulg 
be sown about one inch deep. The seed does bes¢ 
planted here in Louisiana in late fall, during.sep- 
Alfalfa or Lucerne. 
tember, October or November, while it is planted 
almost the yearround. 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 drain- 
age;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 for- 
ever. 
All farm animals are very fond of Alfalfa, green or 
dry, avd it is calculated that one acre will, during 
the growing season from May till October add 150 
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 care- 
ful keeper by filling the egg basket with eggs, when 
they are worth 35 and 40 cents a dozen. Bees do very 
well ona field of Alfalfa in bloom, and bee keepers 
are sure of a good crop of honey, the finest, richest, 
thickest, whitest and best flavored in the world. No 
honey can equal it and it runs from 12 to 13 lbs. to 
the gallon, while the other honeys run from 11 to 12 
lbs. ‘he nectar is so abundantly secreted, during 
the time it is in bloom, that for a given acreage no 
plant will support as mafy colonies. 
Not How Cheap, but How Good. 
