SEEDING CRIMSON CLOVER ALONE.
If a good seed bed can be prepared by August 1 in the latitude of Washington, D. C., crimson clover will ordinarily produce a satisfactory stand if seeded entirely alone. This is especially true on the clay soils, where it is often difficult to obtain a successful catch in corn at the last working. The seed is sown at the same rate as when seeded in corn, namely, about 15 pounds per acre. It is the common practice to broadcast the seed and to cover with a very light barrow or weeder. Unless the August sun be unduly hot and a drought develops, such seeding will ordinarily produce very satisfactory results if the soil be reasonably fertile.
[TREATMENT OF CRIMSON CLOVER STANDS AFTER SEEDING.]
Ordinarily no special treatment is required after seeding, and before winter comes on some fall pasturage may be obtained if the growth be sufficiently rank. A light pasturing with sheep has been noted to induce heavier stooling on the part of the crimson clover. Only a light pasturing with small animals, such as sheep, calves, or chickens, should be made in either the fall or spring before the early spring growth is well under way. If the time of seeding has been delayed, or if for any reason it is feared that the plants will be unable to make sufficient growth before cold weather, it has been found that a top dressing of nitrate of soda alone or in mixture with muriato of potash will greatly hasten the fall growth. This reduces the danger from winterkilling and heaving out in the early spring.
Transcriber Note
Minor typos have been corrected. Illustrations were moved to prevent splitting paragraphs. Produced from files generously made available by USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant materials are placed in the Public Domain.