SEEDING CRIMSON CLOVER.
Crimson clover may be sown broadcast, by hand, with a wheel-barrow "sheep-trough" seeder, or with any of the familiar types of rotary seeders. It is sometimes drilled in and there are a number of specially constructed drills designed for this purpose.
The consensus of opinion among farmers is that shallow seeding is generally best, especially upon the clay soils. An inch in sandy soils and half an inch in clay soils appears to be about the right depth except in times of drought.
The ordinary rate of seeding is 15 pounds per acre, although some use 20 pounds, while others are able to obtain satisfactory stands with only 12 pounds per acre. One pound of seed per acre provides for three seeds for every square foot; hence, if every seed produced a plant, 2 pounds per acre would be theoretically sufficient to secure a satisfactory stand. Under ordinary circumstances, however, it is necessary to allow for some of the seed being covered too deep, while a considerable proportion may prove to be covered too shallow for successful growth. The principal justification of seeding such a quantity and at varying depths lies in the fact that in case a dry season develops after seeding the more deeply covered seeds will be able to withstand the drought better than those covered to a medium depth. If an unusually wet season develops, the shallow-planted seeds will give the best results. Moreover, some of the seed will fail to germinate. It is also well to have a fairly thick stand of the young plants, so that the ground may be well covered even during early fall, and thus prevent the winter-growing weeds from establishing themselves.
It is held by many farmers that they are more certain of getting a stand of crimson clover if they sow the seed in the hull rather than use the hulled seed as it ordinarily appears on the market. It is claimed that the hulls hold the moisture to some extent. Seed in the hull can easily be obtained by flailing out a load of crimson clover which has been left uncut in the field until the seed is mature. Many farmers run the clover through an ordinary grain thrasher, which delivers the seed in the hull.
[VARIOUS METHODS OF SEEDING CRIMSON CLOVER.]
Crimson clover may be seeded in late summer in any of the ordinary intertilled crops. It may be seeded alone following any farm crop which can be removed from the land by early summer, so that the seed can be sown in late summer or very early fall. It may also be seeded for hay in mixture with grain, such as wheat, rye, barley, or winter oats, which are ready to cut for hay at about the same time as the clover the following spring. A very light seeding of an animal catch crop, such as buckwheat, may be made with crimson clover in time for the catch crop to make its growth before winter.