Sowing Clover Alone

A Madicoii ("■'; d.) farmer, wnting to Rural . ■ ' : says: A vear ::;:" uvt snmmer I lost all oí the spring a ( uü:g of clover, SO acres in all, Vi acres ■■■■- n with barley and 8 acres sown with oats. L:r s]iriug I solved 12 acres to ulover alone, riglit on the stubblo, as soon as Icould getouthe field aftèr the snow was off and then hárrowed the piece once. June 1 I mowed the weeds off three to four inches above tlie groond, and in July I out ten tor.s of clover hay from that piece. Beginniug Sept. 1 the cows were tiarned on f or night pasture until November. Apri l 25, 1S90, 1 sowed eight acres to alsike clover and timothy with 1% bushels oí oats per acre broadcast. The clover camü vip nicely and died vhen the drought pmne on. I made one other experiment last summer, on one-half acre of black loam soil, adjoining the 13 acres of the other experiment. I plowed the land May 2, larrowed two different times, küling hvo crops of weeds: May 24 the land was harrowed twice. I sowed clover seed at the rate of six quarts an acre uid then harrowed once with a slanting tooth harrow. The clover was up Juno 2. After this time we had a drought. I inowcd the weeds off three to f our inches abovc the ground Ang. 1, and Sept. 1 the clover averaged seven inches high and gave good pasture from then until November. I can safely recommend this practico to other farmers who desire a sure catch of clover. I wonld advise sowing on fall plowing early in April, on land of fair fertility, and'not too weedy. Cultivate the land well, making tne anace smootn umi fine, and sow not less than six quarts per acre. After seeding harrow once with a slanting tooth harrow. As soon as the weeds get six inches high mow thein olï four inches above the grouiid. The weeds will not trouble as mach as one would think if the work be done promptly and well. It is iuteresting in this connection to note that Professor Hcnry of the Wisconsin station recommends spring seeding to grass alone to those who want to insiere a fine stand of grass and clover. On a clay loam he sowed four quarts of timothy and four quarts of clover about the middle of April, and lattcr part of June cut nearly 1 % tons of hay per acre. This plan is not claimed to be adaptcd to every farm. Artificial Comb. It is bnt a few years since the extractor was invented, artificial fouudation contrived and the ruovable frame discovcred. Now the world is set agog by a Germán, Otto Schulz of Buckow, in the construction of artificial comb, all ready for the bee to fill with honey. Botli wooden and metallic combs havc been nsed for breeding purposes prior to this, but never for the receptiou of honey. The artificial comb is made of waz, and, according to The Farm Journal's description of it, the only objectionable feature is its heaviuess. The cell constructed by the bees is in thickness from two one-thousandths to four one-thonsandths of an inch, but the Schnlz is twcnty-two one-thousandths. This would make it too expensive for jractical purposes. This objectionable feature will doubtless be overeóme, and he combs, fully drawn out into cells, will be given to bees as artificial foundation is íiow given. The iiisects will then be conflned to the business of propagating their -ijecips and gathering the nectar from the opening flowers. A Suggestion. If every farmer in the great west were to cut bis tillable land in two, grazing one half and cropping the other, for a series of flve years, I believe that agriculture would be benefited thereb)T. Some farmers could grow on onohalf the land they are farniing as much grain as they now grow on the wholo of it. This suggestion comes from the Iowa Hornestead. Cottonseed Meal. W. F. Massey tells The Practical Farmer that while cottonseed meal may be an excellent feed for beef cattle, he does not want auy fed to his milk cows if he is to eat the butter. He would prefer pea meal. If cottonseed meal be fed at all, it should be within small quantities and with ensilage or cut hay. Furrow Irrigation. Having the water upon the land, it can be applied in various ways. Flooding or allowing the water to spread over the surface to the depth of from two to ten inches was formerly exteusively used, but it is now employed only for grain and similar crops. The most common method for vegetables and fruits is to make furrows and run the water along in them so that it can soak into the soil. Professor Taft, in his article on irrigation incorporated in the year book of the United States department of agriculture, says: If properly arranged, the water cannot spread upon the surface, and by turning back the furrows as soon as the water has soakcd in aiid cultivating the soil the moisture can be prevented froni evaporating. (Seocut. ) Care should be taken to so lay out the rows in the orchard or garden that the furrows for the water can be run at a very slight slope, 2 or 3 inches in 100 feet being all that is desirable, while 1 foot in 100 foet is au extreme slope. With a little care in laying out the furrows water eau bo uscd upon land that at first sight it will seem impossible to irrígate.