Sowing
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ALFALFA
Japan clover is more commonly sown in the spring, but it is
sometimes sown in the autumn. There is more or less of hazard in sowing
it in the autumn north of the Gulf States, since when the plants are
young they will not stand much frost. For the same reason, there is the
element of hazard in sowing it too early in the spring. Spring sowing
stands highest in favor, taking the whole area into account, in which
the clover is grown. While it is possible to sow the seed too early in
the spring, it will be readily apparent that the earlier it may be sown
without hazard to the young plants, the better will be the returns,
because of the growth secured before the advent of dry weather.
The seed may be sown by any of the methods adopted when sowing medium
red clover. (See page 78.) The method which is most labor-saving,
however, when sown with a nurse crop, is that which sows it with an
attachment to the grain drill used in sowing the nurse crop. If allowed
to fall in front of the drill tubes, it will not usually need any other
covering than that furnished by the drill tubes followed by the roller.
It may be sown with any of the small cereals, whether these are grown
for pasture, for hay, or for grain. When these are fall sown and the
clover seed is not sown until the spring, it will be well worth while,
when the weather and soil will admit of it, to cover the seed with the
harrow. It may also be advisable to sow the seed in pastures, as, for
instance, along with orchard grass, or with tall oat grass, as it would
tend to fill the vacancies in the land.
When sown alone, 10 pounds of seed per acre will usually suffice. But
where there is much seed in the land that has been self-sown, a less
quantity will suffice. Where hay crops are wanted from year to year on
the same land, it may be obtained by simply disking the land and
re-sowing. If the hay is allowed to approach maturity before being cut,
sufficient seed will fall to re-sow the land for the next year's crop,
but the quality of hay so ripe is not so good as if cut earlier. In
pastures, the grazing must not be too close when self-seeding is wanted.
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PasturingPrevious:
Preparing The Soil
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