42 
Slate's Good Seeds and Prompt Service, South Boston, Virginia 
2001—ALFALFA 
This has long been recognized as the most profit¬ 
able hay crop a farmer can sow. It yields several 
cuttings each year and the hay ranks as the best 
obtainable. On a stiff loam or clay soil Alfalfa is not 
hard to get to stand, but it is not advised for light 
sandy soils. There are a few essential points to 
observe in sowing alfalfa. First, the soils must be 
sweet or limed if it should be sour. Then it should be 
well drained and not of a wet nature. It should be 
broken deep and harrowed often to kill out all weed 
growth before sowing. Acid Phosphate makes a good 
fertilizer or, better still, use a grain fertilizer running 
high in Acid Phosphate and containing some Potash. 
Seeding should be done in August-September for fall 
or March-April for spring. Sow 20 to 25 lbs. per acre 
and be certain to inoculate the seed with Nitragin 
before sowing. We specialize in Utah grown Alfalfa 
seed, because we have found them to be best for the 
South. 
See Price List, page 46. 
2002—ALSIKE CLOVER 
This clover has a distinct advantage over either the 
Red or the Sapling for grazing. It is hardier and will 
stand more grazing than either of them. And for 
sowing on wet or low lands it is better than either the 
Red or Sapling, because it stands the wet soil better. 
For hay its yield is not quite so good as the Red or 
Sapling, but it makes better quality of hay than 
either of them. The stalks are not so large, therefore 
the hay cures easier and stocks eat it better. Alsike 
Clover matures about the same time as Sapling, some 
ten days or two weeks later than the Red. Sow and 
handle it in all respects like Sapling, but it does not 
require so many pounds of seeds per acre. Seed at 
the rate of 7% lbs. per acre. 
See Price List, page 46. 
2007—SAPLING or MAMMOTH CLOVER 
This is exactly like red clover except that it grows 
a little taller and matures a little later. It matures 
along with herds grass and timothy and these three 
make an excellent hay mixture. We recommend a 
mixture of 6 lbs. Herds Grass, 10 lbs. of Timothy, 
and 10 lbs. Sapling Clover per acre. If this is seeded 
in August or September it will make a good cutting 
of hay the following spring. When seeded in February 
or March, it cannot be cut until the following year. 
May be seeded on wheat, rye, oats or other grain 
crops in the spring if desired. This mixture yields a 
big tonnage of hay and the quality is the best that 
we know, except Alfalfa. The usual rate of seeding 
Sapling Clover alone is ten to fifteen pounds per acre 
and in mixtures with other grasses, use eight to ten 
pounds per acre. Both our Red and Sapling Clover 
seed are American Grown United States Verified 
Origin stock. We believe that the best is always the 
cheapest. 
See Price List, page 46. 
2006—RED CLOVER 
A standard clover which every farmer knows. It 
yields a big crop of hay, good pasturage, and builds 
up the soil. For pasturage I think that Alsike will 
be better, but for hay this cannot be bettered. It 
ripens with Tall Meadow Oat Grass, Orchard Grass, 
Italian Rye Grass, and all of the earlier grasses. 
Should be put in mixtures with these when sowed for 
hay. When sowed with grass use 8 to 10 lbs. of clover 
per acre. When sowed alone use 10 to 15 lbs. per acre. 
Can be seeded from January to May, or from Au¬ 
gust to October, and will succeed on almost any soil 
that will produce clover. Gives two cuttings per year 
in most sections, and will last for several years. 
See Price List, page 46. 
Alfalfa 
LESPEDEZA 
This legume crop lias taken the country by storm 
in the past few years and now ranks as our most im¬ 
portant soil building crop. Its ease of culture and low 
cost of preparing and seeding makes it most desir¬ 
able. Then too it does make the soil rich as well as 
producing a good crop of hay. Most of the varieties 
of Lespedeza will catch on any kind of soil and if 
allowed to seed, will reseed itself from vear to year. 
Thus worn-out soils can be rebuilt in a few years at 
almost no expense. Lespedeza seed germinate readily 
if thrown upon the top of the soil. Thus pastures 
and other waste lands can be seeded without breaking 
the soil. The best plan is to sow Lespedeza and Herds 
Grass together. Ten pounds of Lespedeza and five 
pounds of Herds Grass will form a permanent sod, 
keep the soil from washing, and supply excellent 
pasturage at the same time. When seeded alone for 
a hay crop use 20 lbs. Lespedeza per acre and sow in 
February, March or April. We list below the leading 
varieties of this important legume. 
2005— KOREAN LESPEDEZA.— This is by far 
the best general purpose variety. It matures early 
giving a good hay crop even in northern Virginia. 
Reseeds itself and is good for pasture or hay. 
2011— KOBE LESPEDEZA. —A tall growing late 
variety which is popular for pasturage and for hay 
in the South. It is rather late for maturing seed in 
Virginia. 
2009— TENNESSEE 76. —Of medium early growth 
fairly tall and used mostly for pasturage. 
2010— COMMON LESPEDEZA.— We think this 
one of the best pasture and soil building sorts, be¬ 
cause its growth is low and spreading, covering the 
soil and reseeding in spite of hard grazing. It is late 
in maturing but in a mixture with Korean and Herds 
Grass it prolongs the grazing season. 
2008— SERECIA LESPEDEZA— This is a peren¬ 
nial form of Lespedeza that grows somewhat like 
Alfalfa or Sweet Clover. Its long root system pene¬ 
trates the soil to a great depth and will live through 
both dry and cold weather. It gives but a limited 
amount of hay the first year but after that, the yield 
is enormous. 
See page 46 for prices on all Lespedezas. 
