The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, May 27, 1918, Page 17

A Whitf of Sweet Clover What It Will Do and ‘What One Farmer Thmks About It - | WEET clover, like . the Nonpartisan league, is making its way over the country in the face of widespread - opposition. Sweet clover a .decade ago was regarded by some who con- sidered themselves good farmers as .one of the worst menaces to the farm. It was a weed. It was not to be al- lowed to grow in any man’s field. It could thrive only along neglected ditches and .in the corners of fields that were overlooked, It grew tall and woody and bitter. The first knowledge that it was on the place was often the sight of a well treed plant sending out branches in every direction and strong enough al- most to offer refuge to a flock of blackbirds. Horses shunned it, cows would have nothing to do with it ex- cept when it was young and tender, and there was so little of -it that even the sheep scarcely had a chance to prove how valuable a “weed” ‘it was. It is often said that a man who would have been discovered in those days scattering sweet clover seed would have been lifted out of the country. But there were few to scatter it, for its seed was scarce and a plant ready to blossoni was seized upon with the same kind of zeal with which farmers nowadays uproot Russian thistle. Bpt it had the essence of good ~ things in it. Sweet clover was only misunderstood. It was not used prop- erly. Some one discovered what it was good for and planted a little. It was found that it made excellent pas- ture, especially when closely pastured so that it had no chance to grow tall and woody and bitter. There was a stage in its growth when it was juicy and palatable to cattle, and as tender as young alfalfa. Whoever it was that made this valuable discovery was a benefactor to, mankind and perhaps if the deed could be definitely assessed «cultivated; to some one farmer he would be given aniche in the hall of agricultural celeb- rities and a statue be carved in his honor. ADVANTAGES . . . OVER ALFALFA Certain it is, there is no longer any opposition to sweet clover. The most savory smell that floats across the fields today comes from a windrow of freshly mowed sweet clover in its first ‘wilt beneath a hay-time sun. When once one has caught its scent, he un- Y "derstands why it is called sweet. One imagines if its flavor is but half as sweet as its smell the cattle and horses and sheep would simply revel in it. And they do. They are trying to make up for the long years that cattle-kind were cheated out of this nutritious, well flavored feed, loaded with mus- cle-building protein, and health-giving elements that make it more than a rival for alfalfa—alfalfa thus far the king of all crops. Cattle turned on alfalfa just after a rain, and hungry, will often eat their fill and, bloat to death, bursted with the unhealthful gases that come from this combination, They will not bloat on sweet clover. It is the safety-first pasture crop. Alfalfa will stand much rough usage when it is well rooted, but it must not be overworked in its first- year. Sweet clover will “come back” after it has been nibbled bare and apparently tramped into the ground. It will reseed itself if a few scattering plants are left, and thus by a little care a perpetual crop can be and on the other hand when the farmer is ready to turn his sweet clover field into grain in his regular rotation, he. can make sure that the clover is all gone by seeing that it is prevented from going to seed one season. ‘There. will be no deep- striking roots to send up shoots and fleck his field with fresh plants as is . to get 600 acres of sweet clover. | ‘ AN OX WITH A RECORD | “Billy” the treacherous ox at Swift & Co.’s packing plant at South St. Paul. For three years Billy was used in the plant to lead the way to the slaughter,, and at the tinkle of his bell the cattle would crowd after him to the fatal gate. Then he would shuffle to one side and edge his way down the yard again to lead the next contingent to the death trap. A few months ago Billy failed to turn aside in time and was pushed through the gate and killed by a blow on the head ‘before he was recognized. The ox that pushed him in was trained te Billy’s job and now goes by the name of “Judas.” so often the case where an alfalfa field is turned to other crops. TESTIMONY FROM DATUS C. SMITH A sweet clover enthusiast has writ- ten to the Nonpartisan Leader setting forth some of the virtues of sweet clover and the uses to which he puts it on his big North Dakota farm. This is Cloverlea farm near Blanchard, one of the most efficiently handled areas in that state. It is owned by Datus iIC. Smith, whose business and whose hobby ‘is making his acres give the best possible account of themselves. Large quantities of wheat are raised " here, for there are hundreds of acres more than can be used in regular rota- tion crops and for livestock raising— many hundreds of acres of straight grain. But it is one of the advance farms of the Red River valley, one that is leading the way towards a more all-round agriculture and the day when the hard wheat belt will support-its herds of cattle and dairies as well as its elevators. “I see I must write you something about. sweet clover,” said Mr. Smith in a recent letter, “although sometime ago I asked you to ‘let George do it.’ The heavy windrows of haying at Cloverlea are not alfalfa, but sweet " clover; not something ‘just as good’ as a.lfa‘l.fa, but better, as I see it. I think it is better for the gram sections of the Northwest because it is a rotation . crop, -and that is what we are dying for. “Oh yes, we have some alfalfa at Cloverlea—60 good- acres, and we are ..proud of it and would be loath to part with it. But it took as much work to get that 60 acres of alfalfa as it would Al- falfa-must be seeded alone on ‘just-so’ land, while sweet clover seed may be m:xed with wheat or a medium seed- ing of oats or barley and sowed on the poorest land you have—and there you are started on the road to prosperity. “Sweet clover gives almost as good hay as alfalfa, gives better pasturage, ( ylelds profitable seed crops, and what is far‘more important kills weeds and improves the soil, “Sweet clover is somewhat earher than other pasturage, and what is re- markable, may be grazed down to the g'round late in the fall "without injury. © It .withstands drought. “Sweet clover saved our flocks and has carried them through the winter * in perhaps the best condition we have . ever had them. Enghteen years ago . PAGE SEVENTEEN R umr_;m.,m n\mflm«fi SRS fl_uz s "-.vzs,\,m TR LR SRRl e e 2, SO S IS NS L S SRS (8 at the Tri-State Grain Growers’ con- vention at Fargo, I was urging ‘wheat, sheep and clover’ for eastern North Dakota. We have stuck to the plan for Cloverlea farm ever since, but are now changing from red elover to sweet clover (the white variety) which we think better suited to our present day farming.” 3 THE BROOMCORN MARKET Through a letter from Charles J. Brand, chief of the federal bureau of markets, the Leader is able to present information regarding the supply and storage capacity for broomeorn of some of the larger factories in the East. “NEW YORK: Supply heuses and factories have approximately 400 tons of broomcorn on hand. This stock is very much below normal due to in- ability to buy long corn called Hurl. Total requirements before next crop will be about 2,500 tons previded long corn can be secured. There is un- usually good demand for long corn, prices are strong. This will give a - market in New York alone for over 2,000 tons. “CHICAGO: In the Chicage market there seems to be a surplus ef short corn, but a very big shortage of“the long corn. “KANSAS CITY: . Kansas City storage capaclty is 175 cars with only 75 cars in stock. This stock consists of 20 cars choice, 256 medinm and 30 cars low grade. Ingle Bres., one of the large dealers, say -that the pres- ent stock is about sufficient: fer local consumption only. Some of the manu- facturers say they are only rumning half capacity, and may have to close their plants on account of inability to secure long:corn. Good demaad for this grade and prices very strong. . “WICHITA: Wichita storage capacity is 900 to 1,000 cars. Stock on hand now, only 350 ecars. This market will require at least 1,0!0 cars before next crop. Demangd is strong and an exceptionally good pnee is be~ ing p “OKLAHOMA- Reporu mdlcate the crop very uncertain and prospects poor on account of no moisture in the subsoil. Strong demand for lavge ton- nage through this section. “TEXAS: Crop estimated at 20,- 000 tons of excellent quality. This amount will supply only about half the . normal consumption. Therefore it will be necessary for Texas manufac- turers to buy quite a lot of corn.”