Show sweet clover Is put to front as soil crop once considered a acell sweet clover lias has h had ad to bear tile the brunt of protecting fertility levels on oil thousands of acres of farm lands during the depres tion period when farr urs have not had the cash for mineral fertilizers it Is pointed out by L B miller associate in soil experiment fields at the college of agriculture university of illinois until 1929 the use both of commercial fertilizers and of swept clover was on the increase that year fear some soine tons of factory pro processed cesel fertilizer were applied in the state at the same time the sweet clover gc amounted to something less than acres however applications of commercial mercial fertilizers have declined to 1 I 1 fourth of the peak year while kweit swe t clover acrea es have continued to increase by 1931 a total of acres in illinois were devoted to growing sweet clover largely for soil improvement purposes with the coming of the governments ern ments adjustment pro programs rams in 1933 and 1034 1934 wherein AAA contracted land could be sown to legumes and at the same time get bew beir fit payments sweet fleet clover acreage Is believed t to have reached the million maik inoculated sweet clover provides an efficient fertilizer factory on any far farm in having sweet soil ani and a fair supply of the major mineral plant foods besides its value as a green manure the legume Is well known for its ability to provide abundant pasture or it may be harvested for seed in years when cash expenditures for factory fertilizer were impractical IIi illinois Llin nois ois farmers who had bad limed land were quick to take advantage of the triple i value alue of sweet clover and particularly for general soil improvement |