it was estimated that an acre of crimson clover six inches high con- 

 tained "sufficient food to properly nourish twelve cows for one 

 week." 



For silage. — This is one of the best of the clovers for use in the 

 silo. The yield of forage is large, is easily handled, and it makes a 

 better quality of ensilage than most other legumes commonly grown 

 for this purpose. The silage is especially valuable for feeding dairy 

 stock. 



For green manure. — This is one of the most important uses to 

 which this crop can be put. Its season of growth is such that it can 

 be used without in any way interfering with the production of the 

 primary crop of grain or vegetables and it affords a large amount of 

 fertilizing material. The herbage is heavy, the roots are abundantly 

 produced and penetrate deeply into the soil, and together these form 

 a large amount of vegetable mould, exerting a beneficial effect on 

 the physical condition of the soil as well as adding much nitrogen 

 and other valuable elements of plant food to the surface soil where 

 it will be available to corn, wheat, and other crops. It is estimated 

 that the average crop of crimson clover is worth from $15 to $30 per 

 acre for the fertilizing value of the nitrogen alone. An important 

 advantage which crimson clover has over cowpeas as a fertilizer lies 

 in the fact that it decays more readily and is less likely to "burn" 

 the soil when a heavy crop is turned under. Another advantage 

 arises from the possibility of producing the crop of clover between 

 the time of harvesting the regular crop of one season and the plant- 

 ing of the next. It may often be used along with cowpeas to good 

 advantage, the cowpeas being used as a summer crop and followed 

 by the clover for the winter. 



As a soil cover. — In many sections of the country, especially 

 where the soil "leaches out" or washes badly, it is imperative to 

 have the land covered with vegetation during the time it is not occu- 

 pied with the primary crop, particularly during periods of heavy 

 rains. Crimson clover is peculiarly well adapted to use as a cover 

 crop. It may be sown in corn, tobacco, potatoes, cowpeas, sorghum, 

 'and many other crops after the last cultivation and, when these are 

 removed, will come on and occupy the land during the fall, winter, 

 and early spring and may be pastured off or plowed under in time for 

 the planting of the next crop. It is an excellent cover crop for use 

 in orchards, where it is also one of the best of sources of nitrogen for 

 the trees. Crimson clover in the orchard reduces the amount of 

 cultivation necessary to keep the weeds in check, and if the crop is 

 not needed for fertilizing the soil, it can be cut for hay, soiling, or 

 silage. The roots and stubble left on the ground from a crop of 

 clover cut when in full bloom at the New Jersey station contained 



