47R ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doe. 



The ameliorating influence of this crop upon soils is due primarily 

 to two causes, first, to the extensive root system, which is distrib- 

 uted widel}^ throughout the soil, and to great depths in it, thus 

 changing to some extent its physical character, as well as the stor- 

 ing up of food in a large tap-root near the surface of the soil, in 

 organic forms, which readily decay; and second, because the plant 

 is a "nitrogen gatherer," the crops of clover removed do not exhaust 

 the soil of nitrogen, but rather add to its store, hence the succeeding 

 crops have at their disposal a larger amount of this element than 

 if they were preceded by the grasses or cereals, which are "nitrogen 

 consumers." The wider and more frequent use of red clover can 

 be commended from all standpoints, where the increase in and the 

 maintenance of natural fertility are important, and in general farm- 

 ing these jjoints are always important. 



Mammoth clover is a near relative of the red variety and resem- 

 bles it closely. It is a coarser plant and a greater forager; where 

 clover is grown solely for use as a green manure the Mammoth may 

 often be substituted with advantage for the red. It is also better 

 adapted for wet lands than the red. The amount of seed used may 

 be the same as for red clover. 



Alsike Clover. 



Alsike clover is believed to be a cross between the red and white 

 clovers. It has a semi-creeping habit like the white variety and 

 only does well when seeded with a variety making a more upright 

 growth, as the red or Mammoth. The mixture is desirable, since 

 the alsike iis better adapted for cold, moist soils and is also hardier 

 than the others, withstanding w^inters that kill the red and Mam- 

 moth varieties. A good practice in grow'ing these varieties of 

 clover with the cereals is to sow early in spring on the wheat or rye, 

 seeded in the fall, and at which time timothy has been seeded, at 

 the rate of 8 to 10 pounds per acre; the usual mixture of alsike and 

 red is two pounds of the former to eight of the latter, using about 

 eight pounds per acre. The seed of the alsike is so much smaller 

 Ihan the red that seeding in these proportions results in a very 

 even mixture of the clovers. The seeding may, however, be made 

 with advantage during the summer and early fall, without cove' 

 crop, either for turning under in spring as green manure or for \ay 

 or pasture. Such seeding should be made on soil well p^-. pared 

 and the seed lightly covered. 



Crimson Clover. 



Crimson clover is an annual, and because of its useful character- 

 istics has made a place for itself in American agricultural practice. 



