12 The Bulletin. 



money thrown away to plant such soils in legumes, especially in the 

 clovers, vetches, alfalfa, etc. 



In addition to drainage, the land should be well supplied with humus, 

 phosphoric acid, and potash. With these and a soil free from acidity, 

 and inoculation with the bacteria peculiar to the legume to be planted, 

 one can feel assured his efforts in growing these crops will be successful. 



Red Cloyer. 



The common Eed Clover (Trifolium Pratense) has been grown in the 

 Piedmont sections of North Carolina for a great many years. jSTo man 

 knows when it was first introduced into the State. It may have come 

 to us from Europe with the early settlers. It has probably spread from 

 Europe and Asia to all parts of the world where it is possible to grow 

 it. Its worth as a forage plant and as a soil improver has been known 

 for ages. Fig. 6 gives a good idea of a thrifty young plant. Eed 

 Clover is considered a perennial, though it often does not last over two 

 years before it has to be reseeded. Usually if the second crop is plowed 

 under it will reseed itself, though there have been instances when the 

 second crop did not contain the necessary seed and seed had to be sowed 

 to keep up the crop. "Where it grows successfully it is considered the 

 principal legume crop both for hay and for soil improvement. It wants 

 a deep, fertile, well drained soil and free from acidity. It does not do 

 well on poorly drained land. 



Red Clorer Seed. 



Good seed, free from dodder and other objectionable seeds are neces- 

 sary for a good stand of clover. The seed should be plump and of a 

 bright color, indicating seed of strong vitality. If clover is grown in 

 the neighborhood in sufficient quantity to save seed, it will be better to 

 get seed from that source than from some unknown source. You can 

 inspect the home grown crop and see if it is free from dooder, but you 

 can know nothing about the conditions surrounding seed bought from a 

 distance. But in buying seed always buy the best obtainable and 

 guaranteed to comply with the seed law of the State. When received 

 draw a sample and mail them to the State Department of Agriculture 

 for examination. If they show objectionable seed in any appreciable 

 quantity, return them to the party from whom you purchased them. 

 It is the height of folly to buy cheap worthless clover seed. Cheap 

 seed frequently contain a very large per cent of objectionable seeds, 

 such as Wild Mustard, Dodder, Buckkorn, Plantain, Eagweed, Wild 

 Chicory, Wild Carrot, Lambsquarter, Dock, and other objectionable 

 seeds. 



Time of Sowing Clorer. 



Eed Clover is usually sown in the early spring on wheat, at the 

 rate of 12 pounds per acre and sometimes harrowed in with a tooth 

 or peg harrow. This harrowing is usually helpful to the wheat and 

 also covers the clover seed. The best clover growers of the locality 

 will know the proper time for putting in the seed. It can also be sowed 

 in the fall, say in September, or early enough to get sufficient growth 



