234 Report of Farmers' Institutes 



The rate of seeding is about tlie same as with alfalfa. The 

 time of seeding under average farm conditions in New York 

 State is in the spring, and the crop is handled in much the same 

 way as alfalfa when seeded with oats or some other associate 

 crop. Experience seems to indicate that a rather compact seedbed 

 is desirable. Unless the crop is permitted to self seed, ox an 

 annual application of seed is sown, a permanent stand of sw^eet 

 clover cannot be assured, and even with these precautions, we 

 have not yet sufficient experience with the crop to justify saying 

 that it will ever be possible to maintain a good stand of sweet 

 clover com^jarable to a perennial stand of alfalfa. 



Two cuttings of sweet clover may be made the season following 

 seeding. The first crop should be cut early, June 10 to 25, 

 or before the stalks get mature. Wlien the stand of sweet clover 

 is as thick as alfalfa the stalks are not coarse. To insure a 

 second crop to be used as hay or fox seed, the first cutting should 

 be made rather high, before blossoming time, otherwise many of 

 the plants will die. Sweet clover • is palatable and nourishing 

 and is eaten readily by horses, cattle, sheep and swine after they 

 become accustomed to its rather bitter flavor. Since it has a use 

 as a foxage or pasture crop on the farm it is well worth experi- 

 menting with to determine its economic range of growth and use. 



Generally the white blossomed sweet clover (Melilotus alha) is 

 to be preferred to the yellow blossomed {Melilotus officinalis) be- 

 cause of its vigorous growth and more abundant foliage. 



where kot to grow alfalfa 



Our point of view concerning the range of conditions under 

 which alfalfa will thrive is changing. Formerly alfalfa growing 

 was considered closely restricted to certain soil areas v/hexe con- 

 ditions wexe peculiaxly suitable. Today we find alfalfa grow- 

 ing excellent (profitable) crops on a very wide range of soils. 

 Alfalfa growing should not be discouraged because we do not yet 

 know on what soils it will fail to make a satisfactory growth. 



While we recommend that alfalfa growing should not be dis- 

 couraged, at the same time it is unwise for anyone to attempt to 

 grow alfalfa anywhere before complying with all of the condi- 

 tions we know successful alfalfa growers advocate. Alfalfa is 



