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About Ashland tidings. (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 1913)
f AGS SIX ASHXAND TIDINGS ' Thursday, TfoTember SO, lt THE PEOPLE'S FORUM These columns are dedicated to the people for the discussion of pub- $ lie questions or the diffusion of general information. Articles J in un t be limited to 300 words and name of writer must accom pany article. Sectarian, Partisan or Personal Criticism is pro hibited. Opinions expressed here are the expressions of the writers only, - and not of the Tidings. ttttHtHHtHtttMttttWttHWtWtWHtHW Possibilities of Sweet Clover. To the Editor: Recently articles have appeared in the papers of the valley and in current magazines com menting on the possibilities of sweet clover as a forage and hay crop. The writer believes that more attention should be given this crop. Inasmuch sis most of the accounts so far print ed have been based on experiments and trials outside the state, some statements of local trials of this crop together with a brief statement of the habits and peculiarities of the plant may be valuable. Sweet clover Is a legume or nitro gen gatherer closely akin to alfalfa. In fact, it is the only legume that cross-innoculates with alfalfa. Be ing a nitrogen gatherer, it enriches the soil on which it grows in nitrogen and humus, and its great root system improves the soil by aerating and subsoiling. Three kinds of sweet clover are common' in this country: The ordi nary biennial white sweet clover, which is usually meant when sweet lover is mentioned; the biennial yel low sweet clover, sruilar to the white variety except in color of blossom; and the annual yellow species, which is not generally recommended for forage purposes. The white sweet clover is most common in the Rogue -River Valley, growing along Bear creek and other streams, in public roads, on the granite hills, on the Fticky soils, and in fact anywhere that vegetation can make a foothold. The bitter taste or the foliage of this plant and the tendency of its Kerns to become woody as the plait matures have caused sweet clover to be deemed of little value as anything but a bee plant, and this opinion has been confirmed, apparently, by the fact that stock do not eat it readily when other and more familiar forage is available. But the' high protein content of sweet clover (13.3 per cent (or sweet clover hay, according to Henry's "Feeds and Feeding"), ON If almost the same as alfalfa, and the discovery that stock when once in duced to partake of sweet clover soon acquire a strong taste for it, has finally resulted in a complete revers al of opinion in the middle west and in sections where it was once legis lated against it is now recommended by agricultural colleges and sown by hard-headed, practical farmers. Sweet clover is commonly sown in the spring either with or without a nurse crop. The biennial varieties during their first season make a growth of from 18 to 30 inches and iu addition store up in a very large root reserve plant food for a rapid and vigorous growth early the follow ing spring. During the second sea son it makes a rapid stalky growth, attaining when uncut a height of 5 to 12 feet and dying after it matures seed. When cut for hay the number of -cuttings in the .first and second years depend so much on the soil and moisture conditions that no ad vance estimates of much value carl be made. It is certain, however, that sweet clover is one of the most drought resistant of plants and prob ably would produce fair crops where alfalfa would fail. The wonderful adaptability of this crop to various conditions gives prom ise that it has great possibilities in this valley on our rough hill lands that are now nonproductive. It will grow on almost any soil and make a fair crop (the writer has seen plants thriving, during the early part of the season at least, in the mortar of a brick wall several feet above the ground). It can be sown with com paratively little preparation of the soil. It is reported to reseed itself readily- even though cut for hay by missing part of every third swath and allowing these plants to mature seed. It has a very high food Value and does not bloat sheep and cattle to any extent like alfalfa. It will stand pasturing and under favorable condi tions will cut heavy hay crops. At CHRfl OECERiaOEK 24, 1SI13 We will give away the elegant lewld Now on display in our window. Coupon with every purchase. ST Qo the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station sweet clover made more than double the yield fit any of the clovers with which it was compared.. (Farm ers' Bulletin 485.) At the Ontario Experiment Station over 30 tons of green feed per acre were obtained in a single season. (Farmers' Bulletin 485.) It is not difficult to eradicate from cultivated fields or meadows, but thrives persistently in waste places. It produces seed abundantly and the seed has a high value, being quoted at from $19 to 28 per hun dred, by reference to several seed catalogues. During the past year trials have been made at "Green Acres" to deter mine the palatability of this plaut for all classes of stock. Green sweet clover on repeated occasions has been cut and offered to horses and hogs and ipvariably has been eaten1 with apparent relish. Sweet clover cut for has even when too mature to make first-class haw yas relished by cattle and sheep, all but the coarse stems being consumed. This stock was all fed regularly on alfalfa pasture or alfalfa hay and no attempt was made to "starve the stock to sweet clover." Mr. D. V. Beebe of Central Point , told the writer that a load of sweet . clover hay placed in the corral as worthless came to be so much to the liking of his cows that they would run to it when the corral gate was opened. Mr. M. M. Tucker of Ashland sowed two small experimental plats of sweet clover on heavy upland soil last March. One of these plats, about one-eighth acre, supplied pasture for seven lambs all summer. The other plat was used for sheep pasture and to some extent for milch cows. . Mr. Tucker assured the writer that hia stock ate the sweet clover readily though accustomed to alfalfa, and that the cows really seemed to prefer the sweet clover to alfalfa when giv en their choice of pastures. No ob jectionable flavor was noticed in the milk. Mr. Tucker is confident that sweet clover is a valuable crop for this country. A good many farmers in the valley will sow sweet clover experimentally next spring. Al "Green Acres" sweet clover will be given a thorough trial to determine its Value as compared with alfalfa. A few acres will be sown on irrigated land formerly in alfalfa and some will be sown on un irrigated upland for a comparison with dry-land aifalfa. There seems "77"" Fireicl Plate IIEOlKISI0)Kr little doubt thift this valley might re sume its position as a livestock pro ducer to the prottt of everyone if ad vantage were taken of the adaptabil ity of sweet clover to all soils, and our lands at present unproductive converted into sweet clover pastures. The U. S. Bureau or Plant Indus try, Washington, D. C, has published a 40-page bulletin on sweet clover, and the Ohio Experiment Station, Wooster, Ohio, has issued an even more elaborate publication, and as these sources of information are more authoritative and complete than any newspaper or magazine article can well be, any one considering sowing sweet clover should possess himself of one or the other of these bulletins. The more so as there are some spec ial points to be given attenHon In seeding and handling this crop such as treatment of hard-shelled non-germinable seed, proper prepara tion of the seed bed (too fine a seed bed seems to work against best re sults), curing the hay, reseeding, in ducing Btock to eat It, etc. The statements herein are all made either on authority of the bulletins named above or on the writer's own experience. If this latter stimulates some interest in sweet clover to the ultimate benefit of the live stock in dustry in the Rogue River Valley its purpose 'will have been gained. Yours truly, RALPH W. ELDEN'. "Green Acres," Central Point, Ore. Despondency Due to Indigestion. It is not at all surprising that per sons who have indigestion become discouraged and despondent. Here are a few words of hope and cheer for them by Mrs. Blanche Bowers, Indiana, Pa.: ' "For years my diges tion was so poor that I could only eat the lightest foods. I tried every thing that I heard of to get relief, but not until about a year ago when I saw Chamberlain's Tablets adver tised and got a bottle of them, did I find . the right treatment. I soon began to improve, and since taking a few bottles of them my digestion is fine." For sale by all dealers. Fishy. Knicker Was your house robbed? Bocker Yes; burglars stole the plants, cat and canary just before my wife came home. Brooklyn Life. As a republic or democracy, Mexi co indeed seems a hopeless case. STMAS i A- Fill In nnd return Coupon la your packiMte or GOLDEN ROD OATH and mall to ua for thia vaiuftblu booklet FREE Golden There's nothing that lures you on like their irresistible flavor. The best food to think on, to grow on, to live on, is Golden Rod Oats. Made of plump Oregon Oats, weighing from 8 to 10 pounds more per bushelthan other oats. At your grocers. Golden Rod Milling Company PORTLAND, OREGON Vacuum Theology. A colored Baptist was exhorting. 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"Last winter when my little boy had croup I got him a bottle of Chamberlain's Cough Remedy. I honestly believe it saved hia life," writes Mrs. J. B. Cook, Indiana, Pa. "It cut the phlegm and relieved hia coughing spells. I am most grateful for what this remedy has done for him." For sale by all dealers. The PORTLAND EVENING TELB GRAM and Ashland Tidings one year, 15.00. Tower's Fish Brand Reflex Slicker JUST THE COAT FOR DRIVING WHEN IT RAINS Face any atom in it anil you'll return "Dry a bona". No water caa reeA yam erren throuch the opening between the button that's where our fauoue Reflex Ease pro tect you by keeping oat every drop. Roomy, comfortable, and M well made that it give tbe longeet aenrice. $3.00 SATISFACTION GUARANTEED At your dealer', or aent prepaid oa receipt of price. Send (or catalog of FoASmte'gooda. A. J. TOWER CO. BOSTON Canadian Limited Toroato if-