GRASS CROP. 107 



our own, and for that reason we may expect it to flourish here as 

 well as in its native land. It is a very hardy plant, standing- the 

 rigors of a Maine winter better than red clover. It yields as much 

 hay per acre and of a finer quality. 



It will grow on very moist soils, a companion to red top. It 

 blossoms a little earlier than red clover, but after the first blossoms 

 appear it continues to branch and throw out new blossoms from 

 four to six weeks, making it the best bee pasture I have ever seen. 

 It can be cut for seed before the last blossoms are opened, and at 

 the same time make very good hay. 



The stalk and leaves keep greeaaslong as long as any blossoms 

 are forming ; and if cured as all hay should be cured, without be- 

 ing burned up in the hot sun, the ripe heads can be threshed with- 

 out breaking a straw or taking a leaf from the stalk ; and the chaff 

 thus obtained -being entirely- clean, will yield upwards of two 

 pounds of clean seed to the bushel, the seed being about one-third 

 the size of the seed of red clover. I have never seen it in pasture, 

 but from its resemblance to white clover and its hardiness, I 

 believe it will answer equally well for grazing, and in this opinion 

 I am confirmed by George F. Piatt of Milford, Conn. Mr. P. says : 

 " The Alsike clover I think superior to the common white clover 

 as a pasture grass, as it grows a foot high and furnishes much 

 more feed. The blossom is only a trifle larger than the white, and 

 of a beautiful pink color. One of the chief merits of the Alsike 

 clover is, that its blossom is accessible to the honey bee, which is 

 not the case with red clover. It was full of bees while in blossom, 

 they seeming to prefer it to the white clover." 



The habit of growth of the Alsike clover is creeping, or some- 

 what prostrate, and a mixture of the upright-growing and self- 

 sustaining grasses is requisite to keep it upright. 



Last, but not least, is red clover. I cannot agree with Mr. 

 Lyon when he places red clover at the bottom of the catalogue as 

 the least valuable. 



The value of fodder does not consist wholly in the amount of 

 nutriment cattle can extract from it, but also in part in the value of 

 the manure resulting from its use. The bulk or weight of hay is 

 no sure guide to its value ; and so it is with manure. As I said 

 before, "the more manure the more hay," so I can say with equal 

 truth, the richer the manure the more hay. The manure made 

 from a ton of oat straw is estimated to be worth $2.68 ; from a ton 

 of good English hay, $5.85 ; and from a ton of red clover, $9.64 ; 



