1893 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
151 
TERRY’S CLOVER CULTURE. 
WHY AND HOW HE GROWS IT. 
Making Sure of a Good Crop. 
The following report of a clover talk by T. B. Terry 
at the Katonah New York Farmers’ Institute, with a 
brief discussion brought out by it, will prove interest¬ 
ing just now when the clover question is a very pres¬ 
ent issue. 
Manurial Value of Clover. 
A ton of clover contains $ 8.20 worth of fertilizing 
material, while an equal amount of Timothy removes 
$5.20 worth from the soil. The amount of albuminoids 
in the clover hay is nearly double what Timothy con¬ 
tains, and albumen is what we need for forming flesh 
and muscle. Fertility is the great subject on the 
farm. By raising the proper crops we can reduce the 
cost of production and increase the quality of every¬ 
thing. Consider the value of clover beside other crops, 
notably those composed largely of carbonaceous mat¬ 
ter. It is easy to see how we can double the quantity 
with this princely product. It is not difficult to raise 
four tons of clover hay on an acre between the time 
when wheat is removed and the end of the second fall. 
The feeding value of this is $57, compared with a pos¬ 
sible $19 that would be realized were the land devoted 
to Timothy. Where Red clover has been in use a long 
time, as on my own farm, it is not impossible to raise 
more than four tons. It is just the crop for the poor 
man, as it pumps up the nitrogen from the subsoil 
and feeds the surface plants that could not live and 
grow without such assistance. The time will perhaps 
come when we shall be compelled to add mineral mat¬ 
ter to our soils; perhaps it has already arrived in the 
Fast. But why not go on getting ail we can from the 
soil by the aid of cheap clover? The plant has proved 
itself the cheapest of all known in the category of 
feeds as well as fertilizers. If you have not raised 
clover perhaps you have noticed the increased produc¬ 
tiveness of the soil after a season of drought. Scien¬ 
tists tell us that this is caused by the working up of 
the same plant food which clover pumps up, only in 
the case of drought it works towards the surface in 
moisture which the capillary tubes draw from the 
subsoil. 
A Platform of Clover Principles. 
But to imagine that clover may be grown without 
correct conditions is to make a mistake. A soil must 
be drained, warm and dry. These conditions exist 
naturally on a large proportion of our cultivated fields; 
but where they are absent, man’s ingenuity must step 
in to make good the deficiency. The crop can be 
grown in a rotation embracing three, four or five 
years. After long and careful experiments, I have 
found for my soil and locality, a rotation of clover, 
wheat and potatoes the most profitable. A longer ro¬ 
tation and the use of other crops might be adopted 
with equal wisdom in other places; for instance, it is 
probable that for farmers nearer market, rye would 
take the place of wheat, because of the demand for 
good straw, and sweet corn or other crops could take 
turns with potatoes as a source of money income. In 
my rotation money comes from the wheat and pota¬ 
toes, the clover being fed on the farm. A strong 
reason why I sell wheat and potatoes in preference to 
some other crops is because of the small amount of fer¬ 
tility they remove from the soil. The manurial value 
of a ton of wheat is $7.09, and of 200 bushels of pota¬ 
toes $12. Thus while I receive a good money return 
from the acre for two years, the crops really cost me 
but $19, outside of labor, taxes, etc. When clover has 
its turn I get no less than five tons, which are worth, 
including the roots, at least $65. 
How to Make a Big Crop. 
For my soil I prefer the Medium Red clover, because 
with it I can get two crops, which is not possible with 
the Mammoth variety. The seed is sown in early 
August, my farm experience having demonstrated 
that it pays to let it occupy the whole soil. Right 
after harvest in July the year’s manure is drawn out 
and spread on the young clover. With many it is the 
practice to feed it to potatoes in the spring, but I give 
it to clover, the renovating crop, for two reasons; 
first, the clover is the foundation of my success, and 
second, I avoid much trouble with fungous diseases on 
the potatoes by giving them only a well-rotted sod. 
The use of machinery in spreading gives an even dis¬ 
tribution and prevents all smothering of the young 
clover. Previous to plowing under the clover sod I 
remove one crop of clover, and the second growth is 
allowed to remain on the land during the winter. This 
decays and is easily plowed down in the spring. To 
some this practice seems wasteful, and they would 
prefer to feed off the clover, but my experience teaches 
me that land so shaded increases its fertility while 
land left bare grows poorer. To induce a growth late 
in the fall I frequently harrow this aftermath. If 
left to itself, it will turn brown from maturity in 
September, but by harrowing, its maturity is retarded 
and the growth continues until towards Thanksgiving. 
I prefer the Thomas harrow for this purpose and put 
it in the clover at the period of full bloom. Care is 
taken to harrow it in lands as it is to be plowed, and 
in this way it does not increase the labor of turning it 
under. My advice to farmers who are not sure of the 
most profitable rotation is to experiment in a variety 
of ways as I have done. I now know what will pay 
me best, and others can learn the same lesson. I began 
on a farm so exhausted by 40 years of grain sales that 
it was not able to grow an average crop ; and to clover 
grown in a systematic way I attribute all my success. 
Clover Questions Asked and Answered. 
“ What shall we do for the pest that eats off the 
clover plant at its crown ? ” 
“ I have had no trouble with it. So far as I have ob¬ 
served, it makes no trouble until the second year of 
the clover. I turn the plant and rot it, working it into 
money at its earliest maturity, and so avoid the worm. 
Regular rotation will reduce its destructiveness.” 
“ What can be done for land that is clover-sick ? ” 
“ Have you any such land ?” 
“ No, but I hear of it sometimes.” 
“So do I, but I have never been where it existed. 
Such land always belongs to some one a long distance 
away.” 
“ How much stock do you keep?” 
“A single cow and horses necessary to run the 
farm.” 
“ If you needed no horses, would it be more profit¬ 
able for you to keep only one animal on the farm ? ” 
“ After years of careful experiment, I have demon¬ 
strated that stock farming does not pay me as well as 
water crops. A ton of steers that would bring $80 at 
four cents per pound remove $11.80 of fertilizing in¬ 
gredients from the farm when sold ; $80 worth of pota¬ 
toes take but $9 worth and make quicker and easier 
money, besides more of it ” 
“ How early should clover seed be sowed ? ” 
“ There is no danger of sowing it too soon in spring, 
and every danger of loss from too late sowing. Hun¬ 
dreds of bushels of seeds are wasted every year by 
sowing it so late that the frosts cannot work it into 
the soil before it sprouts. In this case, the tender 
young plants are frozen because they start before kill¬ 
ing frosts cease. Had the seed been sown at Christmas 
or midwinter, the cracking of the surface would have 
given Nature’s burial to each seed, and none of the 
plants would have appeared on the surface until well 
rooted and late enough to be safe.” 
“ I have some sandy loam which I wish to stock with 
clover. But I desire also to get a crop of grass to cut 
next summer. Can I sow clover and Hungarian grass 
or millet together ?” 
“ Not with safety to the clover, unless the accom¬ 
panying crop is sowed so thinly as to prove unprofit, 
able. Clover must not be crowded and shaded when 
starting. This is one great cause of the failure of so 
many with it. Make the land rich and give it up 
wholly to clover. It will pay handsomely.” 
“Mr. Terry, how do you succeed in making such a 
late growth ? ” 
“ This is one of my secrets, and an open one. I har¬ 
row it when a foot high in the fall before it turns 
brown. This retards its ripening, so it keeps green 
very late, while clover not so treated looks dead.” 
“ Does not the process tangle it so the plowing 
under the following spring is difficult ?” 
“ No ; because I have learned how. This is a job I 
attend to myself, and never neglect. I harrow it in 
lands as it is to be plowed the next spring, and the 
combing aids the plow.” 
“ What harrow do you prefer ?” 
“ I have tried all of them, and for this work nothing 
equals the Thomas smoothing harrow.” 
“ Is the roller useful here ?” 
“ I have not found it so,” replied Mr. Terry. 
“ What rules do you follow in raising clover seed ?” 
“ I don’t raise it any longer and find that I can buy 
the best quality of my neighbors.” 
“ Why have you abandoned raising your own clover 
seed ?” 
“I find I can get more money from the land in 
potatoes ?” 
‘ ‘ What shall we start a rotation of clover, wheat 
and potatoes with ?” asked Charles Haines. 
“ If the land is poor, sow wheat and put on all the 
manure you can get, in the fall.” H. s. 
EUROPEAN VINIFERAS IN AMERICA. 
Colonel Pearson, in his paper on Grapes and Wine¬ 
making, read before the meeting of the New Jersey 
State Horticultural Society last month, said he knew 
by personal experience that most of the European 
Viniferas may be grown in central and southern New 
Jersey and Delaware without need of protection from 
the climate. The vine will do well enough out-of-doors 
without protection from the winter’s cold and sum¬ 
mer’s heat, but in three or four years it has invariably 
failed. This failure is now known to be due to the 
grape mildew. This destroys the foliage of the vine 
and its new growth of wood, and finally the plant 
succumbs to the fungus. Another prime cause for the 
failure of the Vinifera here is the depredation of 
phylloxera or grape louse on its roots. This danger 
may be avoided by planting on sandy soil, or by graft¬ 
ing on the stocks of native American varieties. Years 
ago a distinguished horticultural authority said : 
“ The introduction of the foreign grape into this coun¬ 
try for open vineyard culture is impossible.” Since 
this statement was made, it has been proved that the 
foreign grape may be grown successfully in this coun¬ 
try ; in California at least. Since the introduction of 
these peculiarly native American vine maladies into 
Europe it is becoming as difficult to grow the Vinifera 
there as it has been to succeed with it here. Such is 
the case in California. These experiences are proof 
that there is nothing in the soil or climate of North 
America adverse to the prosperity of the Vinifera vine. 
It is only since recent studies in the line of vege¬ 
table pathology that we have scientifically dis¬ 
covered the real reasons of our failure to grow the 
Vinifera here, and also—accidentally discovered—an 
effectual means of preventing this failure. This is the 
spraying of the vine with copper sulphate solutions. 
In 1892, this treatment of the vine for the prevention 
of mildew and rot has been successful; and hence¬ 
forth I have no doubt that the European Vinifera may 
be successfully grown in the United States. In cor¬ 
roboration of this, a viticultural friend of mine, a 
Frenchman, has successfully fruited specimens of the 
best Viniferas, which he brought from France and 
planted in southern New Jersey. The vines have been 
judiciously protected by spraying with the Bordeaux 
Mixture. I am informed that under this protective 
treatment the vines make good growth of wood and 
mature their fruit as well as in France ; conseq uently 
under this sort of protection, the Vinifera vines may 
be successfully grown in this country. However, 
experience must here be our teacher, and under this 
instruction it is certain that in the future there will 
be a full trial of European vines on the North Ameri¬ 
can continent. 
In the discussion following, Mr. Jones, said he had 
grown Black Hamburg and other varieties in his 
garden under a rude glass structure against a tight 
board fence for 18 years past, but the structure had 
become so dilapidated that he removed it entirely last 
spring, and this season had grown his vines out-of- 
doors without any protection other than frequent 
sprayings with the Bordeaux Mixture, and the foliage 
and fruit were as good as ever, and he believed this 
treatment would enable him to succeed equally well 
in the future. 
Mr. Parry and others were much interested in this 
statement and asked where vines could be had, and 
the best varieties. Mr. Jones replied that many of 
the large nurserymen could supply them. Black Ham¬ 
burg was among the best. Mr. Williams informed Mr. 
Parry that the issue for December of American Garden¬ 
ing contained a very instructive and interesting article 
on growing these grapes under glass, giving illustra¬ 
tions and naming varieties. Mr. Parry being a nur¬ 
seryman, he would advise him to get some wood of 
these varieties from some grower and graft some of 
his native vines with them; he would thus save a year 
or two of time and obtain phylloxera-proof vines—very 
important advantages. e. widliams. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Parties Interested In the State of Washington will receive a very 
handsomely Illustrated pamphlet of the city of Olympia, the capital 
of that State, by addressing Russell ft Russell, financial agents, 1414 
O. Ashland Block, Chicago, Ill. Copies of two story books, “Girl 
Baby ” and “John,” are also mailed free upon application. 
What seems to be an especially good harrow for many purposes 
Is made by Mr. G. H. Pounder, of Fort Atkinson, Wls. It Is light, strong 
and seems especially adapted for use In loosening up the surface 
soil, and forming a cushion of loose sol 1 to prevent evaporation. It Is 
also reversible so that It can be used either with slanting er vertical 
teeth. 
A sample of fresh Guernsey butter was received from Mrs. 8. P. Taber 
Wlllltts, of Roslyn, N. Y. It came wrapped In parchment paper, and 
stamped with her dairy mark. Mrs Wllllts especially prides herself 
on the high color of her butter, which, as she says, contains no color¬ 
ing matter, except that given It by ensilage and other feed and her 
Guernsey cows. This midwinter sample had less body than we have 
found from the same herd on Mrs. Wllllts’s table, but the natural high 
color, appetizing flavor and aroma were the same. It Is certainly a 
triumph In dairy practice to produce butter of this high color In mid¬ 
winter without the use of artificial pigments. 
Those interested In fences and fence materials will do well to ex¬ 
amine the cut of the Empire fence machine In our advertising columns 
this week. There Is no better machine for weaving this kind of fence, 
which consists of pickets woven together by wires. It has been In 
general use for several years, and Is highly spoken of by many who 
use It—In fact, we have never heard of any dissatisfaction with It. 
Where we must have fences, It Is well to have sightly ones which take 
up little space, and which have advantages of durability and effective¬ 
ness as well as of economy of original cost of material and labor of 
construction. Send to the Empire Machine Co., Richmond, Ind., for 
full particulars. 
South American Reciprocity in Danger.— According to the 
best attainable Information from South America, our reciprocity treat¬ 
ies with most of the States there, from which so much agricultural 
advantage was expected, are likely soon to be evaded or altogether 
abrogated. So strong Is the opposition against the treaty with Brazil 
that popular clamor there Is demanding the criminal prosecution of 
those who negotiated It. Some European countries have already 
been granted, In an underhand way, the same privileges conceded to 
us by treaty. In most of the other South American treaty States 
also a similar hostile agitation Is reported to be under way. These 
States have for years been dealing with Europe; nearly all their busl- 
nessconnectlons and correspondents are beyond the Atlantic; English, 
German, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese merchants have 
large branch establishments or agencies In all of them and exercise a 
dominant Influence on public opinion on mercantile subjects. If not 
at once, at any rate In the long run, and all the Influence they can ex¬ 
ercise Is brought to bear against the concession of any business 
advantages to this country. 
