324 Journal of the Department or Agriculture. — Oct.. 1922. 



As a pasture it can be stiougly leconnnendecl, as it commences to 

 grow early in the season and remains green, and. if sown late, tlirougli- 

 out the winter. When once stock acquire the taste for it they eat it 

 readily. The chief objection to it as a pasture plant is that it becomes 

 very coarse unless grazed down, but, if grown under irrigation, it 

 affords a good bite for stock from about August and is eaten greedily. 



In America, Hubam is regarded as one of the best bee plants 

 ever grown.* Progressive beekeepers consider Hubam clover the 

 greatest of all honey-producing plants. This is because of its richness 

 in nectar and its long blooming period that, in most regions, comes 

 when the main honey flow is past. A beekeeper who has his apiary 

 located on Hubam clover fields reports that " my stronger colonies are 

 each producing one super of finest honey per week." 



Drought and Frost Resistance. 



As yet we have not tested the drought-resistant qualities of 

 Hubam. In America it is considered remarkably drought resistant.* 

 " In one instance, without irrigation and with less than one inch of 

 rainfall after the clover was seeded, it grew to a height of 7 feet, 

 and showed no ill eff'ect of the drought when other vegetation perished 

 in the worst drought experienced since 1882." 



At Groenkloof, this season, Hubam has shown itself to be moie 

 frost-resistant than barley. A plot was sown in April last. In June 

 it attained a height of 3 ft. G in., and commenced flowering. It was 

 still green in August, and only a few sterns have become affected by 

 frost. It has continued to flower since June. 



A plot was seeded in May and another in Jyne. In both these 

 plots the seeds germinated and grew about an inch, and then stopped 

 growing. In August they again showed signs of growth. 



Preparation of the Seed-bed and Seeding. 



The seed-bed should be prepared in a manner similar to the seed- 

 bed for any other standard farm crop. It should be planted on a 

 firm seed-bed with a surface mulch of loose soil. 



The seed-bed should not be planted deep — just covered with soil 

 is best; in fact very similar to sowing lucerne. If required for seed, 

 the best time to sow is in the spring with the first summer rains. But 

 if intended for winter grazing', sow late in February or early March. 



Soil Requirements. 



Hubam clover is said to thrive wherever other clovers grow, and 

 may be made to grow well on soils not naturally adapted to it by the 

 application of lime and proper inoculation. Being a legume, it is 

 naturally a lime-loving plant, and will not grow on a sour soil, but 

 grows best on a soil having a good supply of limestone. The bacteria 

 found on the roots of a leguminous plant will not develop and thrive 

 in a sour soil. To get the best results the soil should either be 

 previously inoculated, i.e. on soils where " stink klawer " (inelilotus 

 officinalis) grows naturalh', or the soil can be artificially inoculated. 

 A satisfactory way of introducing the necessary bacteria is to use the 

 soil obtained from around the roots of sweet clover plants (stink 



Hubam Clover : The A. I. Root Comp 



