THE CLOVER CROP.

Dunstan Times, Issue 963, 1 October 1880, Page 3

THE CLOVER CROP.

Many farmers look to a crop of clover to restore the fertility of their laud, anil in so doing they hulk ill the right direction. Why is it that tli s plant is so potent in bringing up exhausted soils, as it cannot of itself create any plant food ? In the first place, we have in the clover a plant which exposes a large expanse of leaf surface to the air an 1 sunshine, and is able to transpire a large amoitilt of moisture. An average acre of clover will send off from its leaves over eight tons of water in 24 hours, in the state of vapour, while tinder the same circiimstances an acre of wheat will transpire only one-fourth as much. Such being tlie ease, a much weaker solution of plant food will suffice for the clovdr. It is on this account that clover is knowil as a close fee ler, because it can thrive on a soil that is poor in plant fooiL But this is only one factor in the success of clover on a soil where a cereal would fail. The clover plant is a deep feeder, sending its line roots tar down into the soil, and filling all the sub-soil as well as the top-soil with its multitude of absorbing rootlets. If it is a dose feeder, it must follow that it must have abundant provision for tile absorption of a large amount of the weak solutions of plant food, which it concentrates in the loaves by evaporation. One man may bo able to profitably manufacture salt from sea water, while another would starve when engaged in the satin industry, owing to inferior facili'ies for using the weak solution. So with the clover, as contrasted with wheat, or many other crops. Having shown why' the clover plant can succeed where others will not do well, let us sec why a crop of clover can benefit the laud by making it more productive. There are many instances on record where a heavy crop of clover has been removed, ami the following year, a much larger crop' of win-at ha' Jbecil obtained; than Ctrl like soil where wheat had succeeded wheat. We must also remember that in removing a crop of c over, we take off much more of the essential food elements, than in the case of the wheat. The explanation is something like tins : The stubble and the part below ground; is to be remembered as making lip no small part of a clover plant, and here we have a large quantity of plant food, especially nitrogen, in a concentrated and available form. The clover plant lias pumped up ami accumulated a quantity of food, which the wheat plant cannot of itself reach, but gladly accepts when thus prepared. If the potash, phosphoric acid, and nitrogen, which is removed in a clover crop; is returned in manure or its eqnivalaiit, or if the crop is ploughed under, then there is no loss in any sense, but on the other band an accumulation and concentration of .available plant food, {specially o f the nitrogen, which the clover plant secures from that great Store-house of this element—the atmosphere. It is well said that ‘‘clover seed is the best manure that a farmer can use.” —American A gricril 1nrist.