SEEDING RED CLOVER 157 



seed is usually dearer than red clover seed, so there is not 

 often danger of its use in this way and one could not 

 desire; a more harmless substitute if such one must have. 

 Commonly red clover is sown in rotation after wheat. 

 The usual plan is to sow timothy in the fall, following 

 with red clover in March, February or April. Probably 

 99 per cent of the red clover sown in America is sown 

 broadcast in the spring over fields of wheat, with no other 

 effort than scattering the seed. 



Quantity of Seed to Sow. Usually 10 pounds of seed 

 are sown on an acre. When conditions are right this 

 plan succeeds well. If the frost loosens the soil or the 

 rain beats down and covers the seed, if the soil is fertile 

 and well drained, inoculated with the right bacteria and 

 with enough lime in it, if the wheat and timothy are not 

 too rank-growing, a stand of clover will be secured. In 

 my boyhood days we secured wonderful growths of 

 clover, but then our lands were newer and richer, with 

 more phosphorus and humus in them. Today there is 

 greater difficulty in getting stands of clover in this easy, 

 hap-hazard manner. A better plan is to wait till the 

 ground is dry enough to harrow, say in late March or 

 early April, depending on latitude and climatic conditions ; 

 then harrow the wheat lightly and sow the seed. After 

 the harrow has roughened the surface the seed will be 

 covered usually by the first shower, though it may be 

 harrowed again with good effect after sowing the seed. 

 This harrowing will not often harm the wheat and may do 

 it much good. Sown thus, one seldom fails in getting a 

 stand of clover. Another plan is to sow twice, the first 



