118 
THE CULTIVATOR 
April. 
received two prizes on them at the last State fair—the 
first, for the best acre, and the second for their beauty 
and quality. 
-- 
Clover—Seeding Down, Etc. 
In every course of rotation designed to keep up th 
fertility of the soil, clover takes an important place— 
both for consumption as a pasture and forage crop, and 
for plowing under as a green manure. For the first 
named purpose, its thrifty and long continued growth 
well adapt it, though it will hardly bear pasturage as 
closely as some of the proper grasses, nor as early or 
as late in the season, yet in the yield of wholesome and 
succulent food for all domestic animals, it is not to be 
surpassed. For hay, if properly cured, it is of high 
value, while as a crop for plowing under as a fertilizer, 
its numerous roots, rank stalks, and abundant foliage 
supply a large quantity of vegetable matter to the soil. 
It is also of that class of plants which derive a large 
portion of their food from atmospheric sources, so that 
its decay gives more to the soil than it has taken from 
it by its growth—much more comparatively than many 
other cultivated crops. 
Clover is generally sown in connection with some 
grain crop—as in the spring upon winter wheat or rye, 
or at the time of sowing spring wheat, barley, &c. It 
is thought to fake best on winter grain, perhaps from 
the fact that it is usually sown earlier in the season, 
and gets better rhoted before the usual summer drouth, 
which is so unfavorable for seeding down with late 
sown spring crops. Fall seeding is not often practiced 
with clover, though we have known of instances where 
it was attended with good success. 
The varieties of clover generally cultivated in the 
Northern States, are known as the large or pea-vine, 
and medium kinds; the latter is generally preferred 
as being the best for hay, and of equally thrifty growth 
with the larger variety. The small kind, common at 
south, is quite dwarfish, and not often grown in this 
section. 
In regard to the quality of the seed, purity is an 
essential requisite — some of the worst pests of the 
farm have been introduced into districts to which they 
were strangers before, by being sown with clover seed 
brought from distant localities. The vitality of clover 
seed, more than one year old, has been questioned, but 
we think it is not injured if stored in a dry place, but 
it will not grow as readily, no doubt, from the hard 
coat becoming still harder and almost impervious to 
moisture. Such clover seed sometimes vegetates the 
second year. 
As to the time of seeding, we think it important that 
it be early in the season, for reasons above stated. 
Clover seed may be sown in March upon wheat and rye, 
if the ground is bare, or only covered by a light snow, 
—the subsequent freezing and thawing of the surface 
will give it the covering of earth necessary to germi¬ 
nation. With spring grains, we think it will catch 
with better success if sown before the last harrowing, 
though when a roller is used, it might as well be sown 
after, as the roller would cover seeds so minute in size 
as these sufficiently. The use of the last named imple¬ 
ment is important where the field is intended for mea¬ 
dow, as well as of benefit to any spring grain. 
The amount of seed required for an acre varies with 
the soil, those which are of a clayey character needing 
most. The growth of the crop with which clover is 
sown, also has an influence—the more closely it covers 
the ground, the larger the amount of seed required 
About a peck to the acre, oftener less than more, is 
usually sown—too many practicing a mistaken econo¬ 
my here, which tells largely against the yield of grass 
hereafter. If too little seed is used to cover the ground 
with clover, injurious or useless herbage fills the place, 
and loss is sustained by the farmer. 
The soil best liked by the clover plant, is one of a 
clayey character resting upon a loamy subsoil,—one 
well drained, either naturally or artificially, will pro¬ 
duce most luxuriant crops. Any soil suited to wheat 
will produce largely in clover, but light soils need ma¬ 
nuring to bring good crops. Heavy ill-drained soils 
soon destroy the clover plant by freezing and thawing, so 
as to pull it out by the roots, especially in open weat her, 
thawing days and freezing nights, as often happens in 
early spring time. 
The use of plaster as a dressing for clover, in almost 
all sections, adds largely to the product. It may often 
be observed that the portion of a field seeded and 
plastered, takes or catches well, while that undressed 
is almost a failure. The same may be seen upon a clo¬ 
ver meadow treated in the same manner in regard to 
the hay crop. We would sow plaster, a bushel per 
acre, by all means, in every case of seeding to clover, 
as soon as the young plants began to appear above 
ground. It is often deferred too late for the good of 
the clover or accompanying grain crop. 
t 
Feeding' Oil Meal to Calves. 
Answer to Philadelphia , Co. Gent *, p. 113.—He 
may begin by feeding oil meal to his calves, the first 
feed, if he chooses, by putting a very little in the milk 
at first. I found dipping the fingers in the milk, and 
then putting them in dry oil meal, considerable of 
which would stick to the fingers, and by putting them 
in the calf’s mouth it sucks off the oil meal, and thus 
gives it a taste for it. I always feed them all the oil 
meal they will take. Oil meal is unlike all other strong 
feed I have ever fed ; they are never sick by taking 
all they will eat. The sour milk, butter milk skimmed 
milk, or oil meal, I don’t know which, purges the 
calves, but they are not any the worse for that; their 
hair is fine and silky as a fine fur cap. If they scour 
from bran shorts and oil meal, they are sick, and a 
fetid odor in their stables. Not so when fed oil meal 
—no bad odor then. For fear the feeder don’t give 
them enough oil meal, I have small boxes nailed up in 
their stalls, and always keep oil meal in them, so that 
they can take a little when they choose I have never 
fed it to pigs, but it is easy for any one to make a trial 
of it. 
Ih all my feeding, I have never found oil meal hurt 
young stock. I had in three different seasons, cattle, 
(three I believe,) that got sick when fully fatted, and 
when slaughtered the gaul was much enlarged, the 
liver somewhat diseased, and I suspected that oil meal 
was the cause. In answer to gentlemen, about feed¬ 
ing oil meal, I called them young cattle, but that was 
my blunder; they all three had got their growth. 
I hope the gentleman will notice this. 
This is the 25th inquiry I have answered by letter 
since the 20th ult., all on farming, and from many dif- | 
ferent states—but the greatest number from this state, n 
A gentleman from Columbia county asks 17 questions. , 
John Johnston. Near Geneaa, 1 9th Feb. \ 
