Clover <)T0 



especially adapted to wet soils. All cbvers require some lime, 

 but it is most necessary for red clover and least necessary for 

 alsike. This means that alsike can be grown on land too sour for 

 red clover, and in many places it is replacing red clover for this 

 reason. There is relativelv more alsike grown in ISTew York 

 State than in. any other. 



White clover seems adapted to the widest range of soils and 

 climate, growing more or less luxuriantly in all parts of the 

 country, but this, too, does best on soils containing plenty of 

 lime. 



NITKOGEN-FIXING 



One of the important characteristics of all legumes is the power 

 they have, through the association of certain bacteria, to take 

 nitrogen from the air. One strain of bacteria is believed to be 

 responsible for the nodules found on the roots of all true clovers, 

 and, therefore, if one kind of clover has been grown on a certain 

 field and has had nodules on the roots, other true clovers will also 

 be inoculated. Sweet clover and bur clover, however, require a 

 difFerent strain — the same as is found in the nodules on the roots 

 of alfalfa! 



N^ot all of the nitrogen found in clover hay or roots comes from 

 the supply in the air. It has been estimated that about one^third 

 is taken from the soil and the remainder from the air. Since this 

 is nearly the proportion which the roots bear to the tops, it follows 

 that when all the leaves and stems are removed as liay the soil is 

 neither materially richer nor poorer in nitrogen. 



USES 



The clovers are used for forage, and as cover and green manure 

 crops. Under favorable conditions red clover will yield from one 

 to three tons of excellent hay per acre, while the yield of alsike 

 is generally smaller. Alsike hay is fine, however, and on wet or 

 sour land it does better than red. Crimson clover is used more 

 for a cover and green manure crop than for hay, though it makes 

 good hay if cut early. Red clover is commonly cut for hay when 

 the heads of the first crop are half brown. When in full bloom 

 the hay contains more nutritive matter, but the later cutting is 

 easier to cure. The second crop of red clover may be made into 



