250 FORAGE CROPS 



much injured by light rains and dews, owing to 

 the smaller proportion of leaf. The stems are 

 finer and are readily eaten and digested. The diffi- 

 culty in making hay arises from the fact that 

 it is ready for hay-making at a period when the 

 season is still cool, and bright sunshiny days are 

 less frequent. Stock is said sometimes to suffer 

 from eating crimson clover hay from the forma- 

 tion of hair- balls in the stomach, due to the 

 hairs on the plant. 



Crimson clover as pasture 



Crimson clover is very highly regarded as a 

 pasture plant, particularly for late fall and early 

 spring. When seeding has been made in July, 

 on lands not otherwise occupied, it makes rapid 

 growth and serves as late fall pasture, not being 

 injured by frost in the same degree that red 

 clover is. Fall pasturing frequently benefits the 

 plant, as a thick, heavy crop is not so liable to 

 be carried safely through winter. It makes earlier 

 pastures than any other clover. It is very useful 

 for sheep or cattle. As a pasture clover, it is a 

 very desirable plant in the rotation, inasmuch as 

 it is adaptable, easily grown, matures quickly in 

 a cool season and possesses the characteristics of 

 other clovers in contributing directly to the in- 

 crease of nitrogen in the soil. 



