Grasses and Clover.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43374, 17 September 1908, Page 3

Grasses and Clover.

AN INTERESTING PAPER. v

Thk following paper by Mr Lowe, on “Grasses and Clovers,” was read at the Templeton branch meeting on September Ist. “In writing a paper on the above subject, I there has, and always will be, a wide differenoe in the quality of the soils, whether it be rich or poor in mineral chemicals for the growth of grass and clovers, so I have written a few of my own thoughts and conclusions concerning the class of land I have used.

“ Of all the questions which concern the * layingidown of land to grass and clover, perhaps there is not one that has received less consideration than the condition of the soil at time of sowing. It is frequently regarded as a last resource for land that is thoroughly exhausted, and will not pay for the cultivation of any other crop. It is often assumed that grass will grow anywhere, and in any class of soil, and although the old and wasteful way of allowing land to go to grass is not re sorted to, yet it is frequently considered sufficient to harrow in a few pounds of seed and let them take their chance.

“ The fact is that no farm crop requires more care in the preparation of the land, and the proper time for sowing, than does a crop of permanent grasses, and there is no greater mistake than sowing good seed on land that has not been prepared for it. My experience during fifteen years, that sowing in February or March for autum, and August and the beginning of September for spring sowing is the proper time. Ploughing in the autumn ana leaving for spring sowing, is especially good for white clover. Always roll with a Cambridge roller before sowing, and if spring sowing, roll afterwards as well. Under this system good results have been obtained.

“Many farmers start grazing their new pastures too soon, in fact before the grasses get established. 1 would like to remark that the view I wish to take is this, that if it does not pay for seed, it ought to be made to pay for grazing, and the same view will hold good in the few remarks that I shall make in regard to clover as a hay crop, and afterwards as a seed crop. “ For seed.—Clover culture requires a certain amount of care and supervision ; for ! instance, harrowing with tine-harrows and I after with chain harrows. This class of renovating is best done in wet weather, early in the season, especially in the case of white clover for seed. Sorrel, which seems to be a prevalent source of trouble in white clover crops, is easily checked if taken at the right time. I have always checked sorrel by the use of the grass-mower, and farmers that have asked for a remedy have tried my plan with success. j “Haymaking is a thing that requires a certain amount of consideration. Many * farmers leave their crop of hay too long be- ' fore cutting. The evil arising from the practice is coarse hay, and a weak plant, which is less liable to flower to perfection. “Fertilisng Clovers.—-It is now a wellknown fact that white clover reqnires insect life to transmit pollen, just as much as red clover, or cow grass. Almost any insect may be able to do the work, but that insect is just as necessary to the white, as the humble bee is to the red. A plan that I have successfully tried is that of plaoing a few hiyes of bees in a well-sheltered position in the paddock I am keeping for white clover seed. The result was well worth the trouble. I cut the paddock into five acre lots, and stacked them separately, the result being two sacks more seed off the lot next the hives, than off the lot away from them. The conclusion is easy to form by the result.

“ There is another factor the fanner has to contend with in the fertilising of clover and the worst of all, and that is the cold winds which are much against it. A superb crop of white clover is often ruined by the prevalence of high, cold east winds : the pollen rising with every fierce gust of wind, like thin clouds of white smoke. The result is that three-fourths of the heads are “ blank.” Weather conditions have a good deal to do with the fertilising of red clover. With calm, moist, sunny weather, the best results are obtained.

“I would like to nay a few words concerning the humble bee. A few years ago some very lengthy letters appeared in the Press from a bee-farmer, claiming that the Italian bee fertilised red clover, but knowing the gentlemen, and making a few inquiries, the conclusion arrived at was that he had an axe to grind, namely, selling Italian queens. If his theory had been correct, we should have had red clover seed long enough before the humble bee was imported to this country. The Italian bee has never been, and never will be, a success in the direction I ara speaking of. The failure of the humble bee to fertilize is not in its ability to do so, but in want of numbers, and often unseasonable, cold blustery weather. Also, as may have been noticed, they do not swarm at any particular time. Yo* may see hundreds of | young bees flying about when it is too late for them to do any good. If a farmer could I regulate the cutting of his clover to suit their time, he would stand a better chance of reaping a good crop of seed. In conclusion, I would like to touch briefly on the ripening of white and red clover, which is of considerable interest to the novice. I Ijave often seen very fair clover spoiled through want of knowing when to reap it. If it had been grown on the lines iudicated, it should ripen uniformly all over, I generally leave mine until it is a dark nut brown (till the stem has no sap left), but it requires watching almost every day. It is preferable to cut before a shower of rain than a nor’-wester. A shower of rain will do no harm, but a nor’-wester may. The same applies _to red clover. If it is a mixed crop of white and red, I generally watch the ripening of the red, and let the white take its chance. If the white is a good crop, and the red light, let the red take care of itself, and look after the white. “ Turning clover during wet weather | should be avoided. I hardly ever turn it, no matter how wet it is ; but prefer lifting 4 with a clover fork off the ryet place op to a dry one This is far tqopp satisfactory, and it is liable to ho hlflwn about, Clover will discoloup mqrp rapidly hefore it is reaped than after, providing it is ripe. ,l Cleaning Clover Reed.--Farmers who have cleaning machines should never use perforated zinc riddles for cleaning sorrel from the clover. The wire cloth is very much superior. Riddles with 40 wires to the inch down to sixteen wires, I find most satisfactory. “ Payableness of growing clover seed der pends a good deal on the favourable conditions spoken about. If they are satisfactory there is no better paying crop. My remarks are based on my own experience, and if it will be helpful in any way to members, I shall be more than satisfied. “ Artificial manures have not been mentioned ; but it may be added that clover requires a different manure to most other p’ants.