SCARLET CLOVER FOR NEW JERSEY. 
A GREAT CROP FOR GREEN MANURING. 
The accompanying' cut (Fig. 149) shows two speci¬ 
mens of clover—No. 1 Scarlet or Crimson clover (Tri¬ 
folium incarnatum) and No. 2 Red clover (Trifolium 
pratense). These specimens were taken by the writer 
April 6, from experiment plots on the farm of Theo¬ 
dore Brown, of Swedesboro, N. J. The soil of this 
farm consists of a medium sandy loam and is in a good 
state of fertility. Both plots were seeded on the same 
date—August 1,1893—No. 1 in corn and the seed lightly 
harrowed ; No. 2 on well prepared land after white 
potatoes. Notwithstanding the extremely dry weather 
of last fall, the seed came up and grew well on both 
plots, withstood the winter and spring without loss 
and the growth now (April 19), completely covers the 
soil. 
Representative isolated plants were selected in each 
case in order that an accurate idea of the size and 
habits of growth of the different clovers might be 
given. The Scarlet clover 
is shown to be a much 
stronger grower than the 
Red, both in respect to size 
and habit of tillering ; the 
superiority of the former 
in these particulars is of 
great importance from the 
standpoint of green manure 
in the system of farming 
practiced in that section, 
viz., the growing of early 
potatoes, tomatoes, corn 
and sweet potatoes. The 
mass of growth at this time, 
both above and below the 
surface, must prove of great 
value in improving the 
physical character of the 
soil as well as in furnish¬ 
ing considerable vegetable 
matter so necessary in 
these soils, particularly for 
the growth of sweet pota¬ 
toes. Many farmers now 
use New York or Phila¬ 
delphia manures entirely, 
believing that the organic 
matter provided is quite as 
important as the plant food 
furnished. This method is 
expensive both in direct 
cash outlay and in labor, 
and any substitute should 
therefore receive careful attention and trial. In an 
investigation made at this station the past season it 
was found that 15 per cent of the total dry matter of 
the whole plant at maturity consisted of roots and 
stubble, and that a green crop of five tons per acre 
would furnish 2,350 pounds of vegetable matter or as 
much as would be prov J ded by 7% tons of horse man¬ 
ure of average composition. The fertilizer constituent 
contained in a crop of this size amounted to 61 pounds 
of nitrogen, 12 of phosphoric acid and 53 of potash ; 
considerably less phosphoric acid, but almost as much 
nitrogen a"d potash as would be furnished by the 7% 
tons of manure. 
With the exception of nitrogen, these constituents 
had previously existed in the soil, hence the main ad¬ 
vantage gained from this source is their location in 
the surface soil. The nitrogen, on the other hand, 
equivalent in amount to 384 pounds of nitrate of soda, 
is a direct gain so far as it has been derived from the 
atmosphere. Owing to the necessity for early plowing 
for the main crops in southwestern New Jersey, no 
catch green manure crops can be allowed to fully 
mature ; yet the very considerable growth made in the 
fall, and the rapid development of the Scarlet clover 
early in the season, in connection with the fact that a 
crop can be secured without interference with regular 
rotations, permit of a very decided gain in fertility 
from the use of the unmatured crop, and at a slight 
expense. The cost of seeding one acre need not ex¬ 
ceed $1.50, a sum hardly sufficient to pay for the haul¬ 
ing and spreading of an equivalent of organic matter 
and plant food in the New York or Philadelphia man¬ 
ure which costs $2 per ton at consumer’s depot. 
The experimental plots from which these specimens 
were taken will be plowed in the latter part of April, 
at which time samples will be taken in order to deter¬ 
mine accurately the amount of organic matter and 
fertilizer constituents contained in each crop. The 
hardiness of the Scarlet clover seems now to be well 
assured for this State, being rather more hardy, if any¬ 
thing, than the Red clover, and its value in other lines, 
as well as for green manure, mainly as an orchard 
crop or for early forage, can hardly be overestimated. 
New Jersey Experiment Station, e. b. voorhees. 
A Success In Connecticut. 
Regarding Crimson clover here in Connecticut, last 
year at the last harrowing in August, we sowed seven 
pounds of seed per acre all over a 2()-ac r 'e peach or¬ 
chard ; it came up well and made a fine growth last 
fall; during November it was four or five inches high 
and we pastured it with the two cows that furnish the 
family supply of mLk and cream, and all of us were 
made quite happy. When the snow went off in spring 
all of the clover seemed to be alive and in good con¬ 
dition, but freezing and thawing weather late in 
March and early in April injured it somewhat, killing 
it out entirely in a few spots of half a rod square. 
Since that time the remainder has been making a 
wonderful growth and we are beginning to plow it 
under this week—May 21—thickly matted over the 
ground and fully a foot high. All in all, I count it a 
very great success and shall extend our plantings of it 
in all the young orchards this coming summer. I 
would also do it in all the older orchards, but we are 
expecting an abundant peach crop and, of course, the 
treading of the fields at picking time would be likely 
to ruin the young plants. I also put in about 400 
acres of this clover among the trees in our Georgia 
orchards ; but it has not done so well there as here in 
Connecticut. j. h. hale. 
WATER-MELON SEEDS. 
WHERE AND HOW THEY ARE GROWN. 
With the increased knowledge of the healthfulness 
as well as deliciousness of the water-m^lon, there has 
been a proportionate increase in the acreage planted, 
until now the area in southwestern Georgia counts 
10,000 or mote acres, and the product for shipment to 
Northern markets alone aggregates from 10,000 to 
16,000 car-loads. With the knowledge of the perfec¬ 
tion of our Georgia melons, though heretofore only 
the morj indifferent kinds were shipped, the Northern 
seedsmen naturally turned then attention to the sec¬ 
tion producing the finest 
melons, as being suited to 
furnish them the most per¬ 
fect seed; justly conclud¬ 
ing that the most perfect 
fruit would yield the most 
reliable and thoroughly 
matured seed. As a result 
many hundreds of acres 
of water-melons are planted 
in southwestern Georgia 
solely for the seed. These 
melons are grown from 
seed furnished by Northern 
seedsmen who take the 
entire product of the land 
planted at a price con¬ 
tracted for, which varies, 
according to variety, from 
12 )4 to 25 cents per pound, 
though few varieties bring 
the latter price, the great 
bulk being contracted for 
at 12% cents per pound. 
This price is apparently 
low and the bulk of the 
seed at the price could 
be profitable only because 
of the cheapness of the land 
and the crop of hay which 
is secured, after the melon 
crop has been gathered, at 
merely the cost of cutting 
and curing. In growing the 
seed, any light sandy land is selected, plowed and 
checked so as to make each hill or check six feet from 
the next. In each hill a half handful of compost 
stable manure, cotton seed and acid phosphate is placed 
by some ; others using a small quantity of any com¬ 
mercial guano, while others use no fertilizer, because 
a small melon has as many seeds as a large one of the 
same vaiiety, and they work to secure seed only and a 
profit. After the fertilizer is placed, a ridge is formed 
by plowing the earth from either side to it ; and on it 
the seeds are planted in April or May. After the 
plants are well up, they are thinned out to one or two 
plants to the hill, and cultivated with plows the first 
time, and then with sweeps or scrapes. 
This cultivation should never be done in the early 
morning, for then the vines are exceedingly tender 
and brittle, breaking very easily, whilst after the sun 
has shone on them several hours, they can be pushed 
about without the least damage. 
After the melons are thoroughly ripe, tight barrels 
with one head removed are taken into the field and 
placed at convenient points, and the melons are hauled 
How Scarlet Clover Compares with the Common Red. Fig. 149 . 
