104 FODDER AND PASTURE PLANTS. 
its own colour. Although the darker seeds are more popular, the 
colour should not be taken as an index of value as the most desirable 
plant types may have pale yellow seeds. 
Good Red Clover seed should have a shiny lustre and contain 
only a small proportion of undeveloped, shrunken seeds. The legal 
weight is sixty pounds per bushel. 
Impurities: Red Clover seed too often contains noxious weed 
seeds. Among the most troublesome are Ragweed, Night-flowering 
Catchfly, Bladder Campion, Canada Thistle, Curled Dock and 
Ribgrass. Other less harmful seeds are Green Foxtail, Lamb’s 
Quarters, Lady’s Thumb, Pale Plantain, Yellow Foxtail, Sheep 
Sorrel and Smartweed. 
Diseases: Red Clover has many enemies. Insects are trouble- 
some and often do considerable damage. Weevils and other insects 
feed on the leaves and the clover root borer attacks the roots. The 
latter, which fortunately does not seem to be prevalent in Canada, 
eats out the central parts of the roots and is a serious pest where it 
is abundant. The clover midge, which feeds on the young seeds, 
frequently causes serious loss. Where it threatens to be troublesome 
the clover should be pastured or cut early. 
Various kinds of dodder live on Red Clover. The kind found 
in commercial seed is chiefly determined by the place of the seed pro- 
duction. It is most frequently introduced into Canada with Chilean 
Red Clover seed. This dodder (the Latin name of which is Cuscuta 
racemosa Mart. var. chiliana Engelm.) is quite different from Alfalfa 
dodder (see page 120). It is true that the dodders resemble each 
other, but their effects on the plants are quite different. Although 
introduced several times and widely distributed in the seed producing 
districts of Ontario, the Chilean dodder seems unable to establish 
itself and is practically harmless. Other species of dodder may be 
introduced, however, and prove troublesome with Red Clover. 
VARIETIES OF RED CLOVER. 
Red Clover consists of thousands of types, differing in botanical 
characteristics, biological behaviour and practical value. From a 
botanical standpoint, two main types can be distinguished which 
might be termed the American and the European. The latter has 
smooth stems whereas the stems of the former have stiff, outstanding 
