VOL. XXIX.
INDIANAPOLIS. IND , AUG. 11, 1804.
NO. 32.
CKIM80N CLOVEB.
At the risk of repeating much of what
has already been said regarding thla interesting plant we copy the following from
the American Cultivator ln connection
with the cut snowing its stem, leaves and
graceful bloom:
There is a difference in hardiness of different varieties of the crimson clover,
some of whioh do not have crimson blossoms. One of these is called Egyptian
clover and has white blossoms resembling
those of white clover, but on • much
larger plant. This kind is not hardy and
la only adapted to growing in the Southern
States. The blossom of the true crimson
clover is from two to three inches long and
is crimson in oolor. It Is an annual plant,
but in Delaware and New Jersey it is the
oommon practice to sow it among corn in
July or Angust, when it will live through
the winter and ripen its seed the next
spring. It is often as cold in Delaware
and New Jersey for a time as it is much
farther north. If you have a location
where snow lies all winter it will probably
pay to try some, taking care to get the
tru*' crimson clover seed, which is hardier
than the Egyptian variety. It is used in
Delaware both as a forage crop and for
plowing under as green manure. Last
season about 3,000 acres were sown with it.
Growing the seed is also profitable, as the
demand-foe crimson clover aeed exceeds
the supply. The yield of seed per acre
varies from three to 15 bushels. Ten bushels is regarded as a good crop, and it sells
readily at from four to six dollars per
bushel. The crimson clover crop saves
Delaware farmers much valuable fertility,
as its roots nse atmospheric nitrogen the
same as do those of the common red
clover. It is worth trying In a small way
at first by all farmers. As a crop to cover
the ground during winter it Is of great
value, and It may probably be worth while
sowing for this purpose, for fall growth in
localities where its winter killing wonld
be probable two seasons out of three.
About 15 pounds of seed are required per
acre.
Where the Farmers' Money Goes.
Editobs Indiana Farmer:
For three weeks thrashing has been going on at a lively rate and the average
yield per acre still Is on the increase, so
that one sometimes thinks "acres" are
liable to swell a little on the surface. Apparently the bulk of the wheat Is being
sold from the machine, as there is a crowding of capacity of grain dealers to make
room for what comes in faster than it can
be shipped away. It is nothing uncommon to see wagons loaded with 50 or 100
bushels actually racing along tbe street
the last half mile or more in their eagerness to get there first and unload, fearing
the price will drop away below 44 cents.
One might think that a double yield at
half price will surely cause trade to pick
up and do much good in a general way.
Bat going down the street and seeing the
clerks standing around with little or nothing to do, I began to enquire if trade had
not yet felt the benefits of so much wheat
selling. The answer generally was, "No."
A few grcesries had been sold during the
morning (Saturday); otherwise but little
trading or money to be seen. Why so?
"Why?" says one; "because the farmer
can get along without spending money,
and he keeps it in his pocket."
With few exceptions that was the prevailing opinion. But a thought came to
mind of what a banker of many years' experience said last spring: That he was
loaning more money to farmers to pay
their spring instalment of taxes than he
ever bad since doing business, and in
friendly discussions I frequently have
with this firm they have told me that, as a
rule, the farmers borrow more money,
payable after harvest, than any other time
of the year, notwithstanding the hog crop
has been thought to be the means of meeting a great portion of the farmers' obligations throughout Indiana. With these
facts in mind I oould see where the money
went to, and proceeded to say so, knowing
how necessary it ia for a banker to main
tain secrecy with his customers, who, too,
me were waiting on others, until we traced
no less than six different promises that
got stuck when the panic came on, and
one simply had to carry the other, and I
told them to just let their obligations
stand at present, and gave my note to the
bank for the amount wanted at 60 days;
checked to the treasurer, and he carried It
CRIMSON   CLOVER.
generally are "mum" aa borrowers, especially for taxes. Then some talk was
Indulged in about the gold basis, increase
of debts, taxes, etc., in proportion to the
price received for wheat. Says one: "You
didn't have to borrow money to pay
taxes?" The answer was: "Most assuredly
I did, but I believe the first time in my
life."
Talking with the connty treasurer, I
said it would take nearly a thousand bushels
of wheat at present price to pay my taxes,
when he jokingly retorted: "If I had the
wheat," which he knew I did not, for I
quit raising wheat five years ago, for the
price of wheat kept tending downward
and it left no profit to keep extra teams
and pay a fair consideration for labor.
"What did I raise?" Almost the same
as in previous years, only a little more
grass, cattle and sheep, a little less corn
and hogs, sowing the oorn to rye, pasturing during winter, plowed under again
for corn, or part harvested for the grain to
be fed.
You see my surplus stock was sold before taxes were dne—and I've not been in
the habit of paying before—and to accommodate some parties a while I let them
have money, bat when taxes were dne
and I wanted the money the parties owing
back as oounty deposits. Well, when I
sheared my sheep and sold the wool it
took the principal part of the proceeds of
flOO fleeces, XX wool, averaging 8>£
pounds, to redeem my own paper, on account of that score. The other debts I
think all stand as they did, and I doubt
not like instances are very numerous
throughout the entire oountry.
The banks claim to have plenty of
money, but the number who can obtain
loans is small, and what products are sold
brings so little, that after meeting current
expenses, taxes and interest, there is but
little left for circulation. Keep this in
mind: It has been the "hustlers" who
have been the principal borrowers of
money in recent years, as they endeavored to obtain a competence, or a fortune,
but that has been checked by contraction
of the circulation of the poor man's
money and under-consumption of labor's
products. Miello.
There is always success for him who
does his level best, no matter what the
discouraging circumstances are. Only the
poor farmer will be squeezed to death, as
will the poor merchant or the faint hearted
one. He who takes every legitimate ad-
van tat*e carries off the cake,
About  Potash  and   Soda—Their Action
to Make   Organic   Matter Soluble—
the Help Afforded the   Alkalies
by Calcareous Earth.
Edith*. Indiana  Pakheb:
It is a well established chemical action
of the fixed alkalies proper (potash and
soda), on vegetable or other organic matter, to render it more soluble, and thereby
more speedily and effectually to reduce insoluble and inert organic manures to the
state fit to ibe taken up by the roots of
plants and enable them to be completely
consumed as food for plants. Under the
influence of the alkaline carbonates (not
muriates or sulphates), the organic matter
disappears mors rapidly than it would
otherwise do; and after it has thus disappeared, fresh additions of the carbonates
produce no further good effect.
According io the treatment of the land
while this solvent action of the carbonates
is proceeding, through a course of years,
the general or final results will be either
Injurious; in the removal and destruction
of the organic matter, or beneficial, by
storing it up and fixing it in the soil, under reverse circumstances.
If the system of cropping be continually
exhausting—taking as much as possible
from the land and returning nothing—
then the lessening and disappearance of
the organic matter, whether slowly or
speedily will finally be complete, and
equally sure will be the so induced and
almost hopeless subsequent sterility of the
soil. It was upon such ignorant and destructive cropping as this that was founded the often quoted old proverb in England, that "liming makes rich fathers
and poor sons." And this saying will certainly be true, if understood of the fixed
alkalies followed by oontinued or generally exhausting tillage, though entirely
false If followed by mild, ameliorating
cultivation and judicious management.
Calcareous earth, as well as the fixed alkalies, enables the soil, or the plant, growing thereon, to draw mnch more nutriment from the atmosphere.
Lime and the fixed alkalies in the soil
Increases the effect of azotized manures,
and, through leguminous plants, draws
azote in relatively large amounts also from
the atmosphere.
While all persons have ooncurred In asserting the ameliorating effects of clover
and other leguminous crops, there has
been as general an erroneous agreement as
to tho cause of this quality.
It has been assumed by out scientific instructors, and their doctrine was received
without question, that plants with broad
leaves absorbed more nitrogen from the
air, and hence the superiority in this respect of leguminous plants over all narrow-leaved tribes.
Never was there any opinion more generally admitted on a weaker basis, or more
easy to be overthrown. Several cultivated
crops, as tobacco, cabbage, turnips, pumpkins, and other like vines, have much
broader leaves than any of the legumes.
But neither of these have ever been
deemed to have any peculiar power for
manuring by its growth and decay on the
land.
Ar. >te, the smallest but richest, and for
its quantity by far the mest important
element and ingredient of plants, is derived by most plants exclusively from the
soil.
Plants of the leguminous order, and they
alone, so far as known, possess and exert
the power also to draw azote direotiy from
the atmosphere, assimilate and fix in their
bodies this richest material and to give it
as manure to the soil on which they grow
and are left to decay.
Owing to this peculiar power leguminous plants are the most highly enriching
to soil as manure. The important benefits thus to be derived are valuable only
through the a.d of lime or alkalies in soli.
Andrew H. Ward.