582 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
September 15 
the weeds ot Plot No. 4 in late June. Are we to sup¬ 
pose that they had u^ed up the available potash and 
phosphoric acid that had accumulated in the soil during 
the five years when corn and potatoes had been grown ? 
Notes of Progress. 
.Tune 18 —The Pig-weed on Plot No. 6 (complete) is 
from one to two feet high ; the clover six inches and 
thriving in parts where the Pig-weed is less dense. 
Oq Plot 4 (nitrate) the Pig-weed averages taller; the 
clover the same height. On Plot 3 (potash) the Pig¬ 
weed was from two to ten inches high with small 
leaves and stems; clover, two to four inches. The 
leaves were much smaller than those of Plots 4 and 5 
and more of a yellowish-green in color. Plot 2 (phos¬ 
phate) is much like Plot 3 (potash). Plot 1 (no ferti¬ 
lizer) is fully as good as either Plot 2 or 3. The stand 
of clover is poorest on Plot 3 
.June 22.—A swath of six feet mown across both the 
nitrogen and complete fertilizer plots. Pig-weed 
(Cbenopodium) is now 2}^ feet high and Knot-weed 
one foot high on these two plots. 
July 2.—On Plot No. 5 (complete), Pig-weed, Knot- 
weed and llitter-weed (Ambrosia) from one to five feet 
high. We have never seen a much finer growth of 
weeds. The clover in little places where the weeds 
are less rampant is about one foot high and green. 
The rest is yellow and feeble. Where the clover and 
weeds were mown (June 22) the clover is doing well, 
thorgh the weather is very dry. It is now about six 
inches tall. On Plot 4 the weeds are now not so tall 
or the leaves as large as in No. 5. The Pig-weeds are 
about four feet; the clover much as in No. 6. On 
Plots 3 2 and 1, the weeds are from 12 to 18 inches 
tall, the clover 8 to 10 inches and thriving fairly well. 
July 9 —A few plants in bloom on Plots 1, 2 and 3. 
July 15 —Plants on Plots 1, 2 and 3 from 10 to 15 
inches high ; the latter in bloom. On Plot 4, the Pig¬ 
weeds are 4)^ feet high ; on Plot 5, 53^ feet. 
July 23 —The no-manure plot (No. 1), is much the 
same as the phosphate plot (No. 2). The potash plot 
(No. 3) clover, is somewhat stronger in growth than 
either No. 1 or 2. The weeds average six inches taller. 
The clover is dead on Plots No. 4 (nitrate) and No. 5 
(complete). 
All the plots were mown August 24. The clover 
plants on Plots 1, 2 and 3 were from one to two feet 
high—averaging 18 inches. Some of the plants were 
dead, having seeded ; some were still in bloom. 
Remarks. 
What do our readers think of such results which we 
have given in detail, that they may make their own 
conclusions ? After raising corn and potatoes on this 
land for five years and spreading about 1,000 pounds 
of high-grade potato fertilizer every year, it may be 
supposed that enough of potrash and phosphate re¬ 
mained in the soil to give a fair crop of clover or 
weeds. The weeds we knew needed nitrogen, but it 
was assumed that the clover, if supplied with potash 
and phosphate, would thrive without nitrogen. That 
there was a fair supply of potash and phosphoric acid 
io the soil is shown by the remarkable growth of 
weeds upon the nitrogen plot (No. 4), while the 
growth was feeble upon Plots Nos. 2 and 3, as well as 
by the fact that the weed crop was nearly as large on 
the nitrogen as up on the “ complete ” plot. Evidently 
nitrogen was precisely what the weeds needed; the 
soil gave them enough—or nearly ehough—phosphate 
and potash. But it would seem from the feeble 
growth of the clover upon Plots 1, 2 and 3 that it 
needed nitrogen as much as the weeds needed it. 
The experiment may serve to indicate : 1. That we 
should not sow Crimson clover on weedy land in the 
spring with or without fertilizer. 2 That the higher 
such land is fertilized, the heavier will be the crop of 
weeds, and of weeds only. 3. That we cannot raise a 
crop of spring-sown clover on such land, either with or 
without fertilizer. 
The Neat Trial. 
We now purpose to sow two acres to clover .just so 
soon as rain falls in sufficient quantity to moisten the 
parched soil. The field is perfectly level and has been 
in Timothy for three years. It was plowed August 1. 
We shall sow about 12 pounds to the acre upon all ex¬ 
cept a strip upon which it is purposed to sow Red 
clover for conrparison. What we shall do next spring 
is notyet determined. Perhaps we shall turn it under 
in April and plant potatoes about May 1, adding phos¬ 
phate and potash only, upon most of the field and 
nitrate of soda also upon a part. 
The illustrations. Figs. 147, 148, 152, 153, explain 
themselves and show the relative growths of the 
several plots. The man standing in the foreground 
is 5 feet 9 inches in height. Plot No. 3 was not photo¬ 
graphed, because it was so nearly the same as Plots 
Ncs. 1 and 2, that a picture would have shown no dif¬ 
ference. 
Crimson and Scarlet Clover. 
Pig. 149, drawn ^rom nature, shows leaflets and a 
young head of the ordinary Crimson clover as grown 
in one of the garden plots. Fig. 151 shows one of 
several plants which bear larger leaflets. The plants, 
too, grow taller, the stems stockier. The flower may 
fairly be called “scarlet,” having little if any of the 
violet tint of the other. It is later to bloom by about 
a week. The clover head, shown at Fig. 150, was cut 
when the lower flowers were forming seeds, the upper 
being still in full bloom. 
GRANGE GLEANINGS. 
The P. of H. of Tompkins County, held their annual 
picnic at Port Renwick on Cayuga Lake about a mile 
from Ithaca. As usual the meeting was characteristic 
of the order ; large crowds, big baskets, a delightful 
day,,intelligence by the boat-load, but no drunkenness. 
The members are the cream of agriculturists. The 
first thing I heard was, “The trouble with this coun¬ 
try is our permitting all other nations to use America 
as a dumping ground for their ‘ scum’ and criminals. 
The character of tSie immigrants who reach us has 
deteriorated 50 per cent in a few years.” 
“ That’s so I” replied his hearer. “The Government 
should establish a passport system ; all emigrants 
should be scrutinized by our consuls and representa¬ 
tives in foreign countries, and none who are not self- 
supporting, able to read and write and willing to be¬ 
come citizens, should be allowed to come.” 
“ Are you interested in good roads ?” was asked me 
“ Of course I am,” I replied in a loud tone, to attract 
attention. In five minutes five plans were explained 
‘‘ as the best of all.” The fact is, the road question is 
one of locality. The character of the soil largely 
determines the system which will give best results. 
At present, no body of men can agree on any one plan. 
The use of the road scraper drawn by the traction 
engine, is the greatest improvement in road making 
within my memory. 
Everywhere the mention of Crimson clover attracts 
attention. I met many who have sown some trial 
plots Mr. Middaugh said, “ I sowed the first seed 
sown in this county, two years ago.” 
“ I am afraid mine will not come up. We have not 
had rain in two months.” 
“ Will it stand drought ?” 
“It will come up in three days,” said Mr. Middaugh, 
“even if very dry. Our first was sown in August in a 
corn field. We turned in the cows and fed it off that 
fall.” 
“ How high was it ?” interrupted one. 
“ About four to seven inches. In the spring it grew 
large enough to mow, and we cut it for hay before 
plowing the corn stubble. We had a good yield, too. 
It wintered nicely.” 
“Was it good hay?” asked another. 
“The cattle seemed very fond of it. We have sown 
five acres this year. It’s great. Why I A man could 
HEAD. 
sow it with buckwheat and have a clover sod to plow 
under for the next year, and so keep growing buck¬ 
wheat.” 
“Would it do well to sow in spring grain like oats?” 
I asked. 
“No ! That’s too early, out of season.” 
“My plants came up in a few days, but as soon as 
the two leaves opened, something ate them off. Every 
plant so far has been killed. I could not find any¬ 
thing like grasshoppers or flea beetles on them, and 
am puzzled to know what does it.” 
“If they leave one stalk to the foot, it will cover 
the surface,” was Mr. M.’s comforting assurance. 
How the people did mourn over their potatoes. “The 
finest growth of tops I ever saw.” “If it would rain, 
late ones would be some good, but they are burning 
up by inches.” “Mine are struck with blight, and 
Bordeaux does no good.” 
I have examined many crops carefully, and doubt if 
there is any of the true potato blight for which the 
Bordeaux has been recommended, in this section. 
Dry weather and high temperature are not favorable 
for its development, and it is very rapid in its growth. 
It turns the foliage black. The present form works 
slowly, turns the leaves yellow, and appears on those 
pieces which have been neglected until weedy and 
hard. This shows a want of moisture. The leaves 
are also perforated with flea beetles, which lessens the 
vigor. Why doesn’t somebody find something that 
will kill them ? The only man besides myself who was 
not murmuring, had followed my plan, namely, keep 
^!ultivating. Nothing but the very earliest varieties 
Fm. 15). 
CRIMSON CLOVER LEAFLETS AND FLOWER 
