298 GRASSES OF IOWA. 



it stands drought well and is not easily winter killed. The 

 winter of 18i»8 and 1899 was an exceptional year, as it was 

 killed in many sections o:' the state. Medium clover {Trifolium 

 medium) is also frequently cultivated. Clover is not only valu- 

 able as a forage plant, but no other leguminous plant is so 

 valuable for this state as a soil renovato'. White clover* 

 {Trifolium repens) is spontaneous in all parts of the state. It is 

 a native of Europe but has long been naturalized. White 

 clover is abundant ia pastures, meadows and along roadsides. 

 It is only valuable as a mixture in blue grass meadows. 

 White clover is richer in protein than led clover and much more 

 so than blue grass. The only objection made against this plant 

 is ihat it causes prof us 3 salivation when the seed is forming. 

 Alsike clover {T. hybridum) is becoming much more common in 

 this state, and has an excellent reputation as a pasture plant. 

 For low meadows it is more valuable than red clover. Crimson 

 clover {Trifolium incarnatum) has been tried repeatedly but is 

 not adapted to Iowa conditions. It suffers much from insects, 

 fungus enemies and drought in late summer. Several annual 

 leguminous iorage plants are frequently cultivated in this state. 

 The most valuable of these are Soy Bean {Glycine hispida) which 

 is not only an excellent drouth resister but produces a large 

 am.unt of forage. The cow pea {Vigna catjang), though long 

 and favorably known in the south as a forage plant, is coming 

 into prominence in this state. Not only does it resist drouth, 

 but it is productive. Experiments made here at Ames indicate 

 its great value for Iowa. The common field pea {Pisum arvense) 

 is grown but little. A number of our native leguminous forage 

 plants are valuable. Two naturalized species are common in 

 all pu'ts of the state — yellow sweet clover {Melilotus officinalis) 

 and the white {Melilotus alba). Though held in esteem in some 

 of the southern states we cannot so i egard them in this state 

 because of their weedy character. They are held in esteem in 

 the south because they are excellent soil renovators and bee- 

 men consider them valuable because they are excellent honey 

 plants. 



The most widely distributed of all the native leguminous 

 plants is Canadian rattle- weed {Astragalus canadensis), a thrifty, 

 hardy and vigorous species found ia woods, low meadows, and 

 prairies. It is eaten by stock but becomes rather woody when 



♦For good accounts of clover see Heal. Grasses of N. Am., 1:320 (Ed 2) Wallace 

 Clover Book. 



