CLOVER SEED AND ITS INSECT ENEMIES. 



CHAPTER XII. 



While some clovers are grown for pasture and fertility, 

 others for pasture, seed and fertility, others for seed and fer- 

 tility, and still others for hay, seed and fertility, it is impor- 

 tant in. every case that the plant should seed abundantly. 

 Even if the farmer never takes a seed crop, it is important 

 to him that the plants should bear more or less seed every 

 year. Many clovers being annuals, others biennials and still 

 others short perennials, it is important that the stand should 

 be mantained by self seeding ; everything, therefore, that 

 bears upon the seed crop is of interest to every clover grower. 



A full crop of clover seed of any of the varieties is the 

 result of the harmonious * co-operation of man, nature and 

 insects. Nature must provide the soil and a fitting season, 

 man must do his part in preparing the soil, sowing the seed, 

 and, so to speak, superintending the work, while the insects 

 must perform the indispensable work of cross fertilizing the 

 seed, a work which they can depute to neither man nor 

 nature. In order, therefore, that the farmer may act intelli- 

 gently and co-operate with nature and his insect friends, it is 

 important that he should know something of the process of 

 insect fertilization of the clover plant. 4 



To give the reader full and accurate information on this 

 point, we have requested Prof. L. H. Pammel, of the Iowa 

 Agricultural College, at Ames, Iowa, to explain in detail the 

 method by which red and mammoth clover are pollinated, and 

 the part which various insects play in this important work. 

 This he has kindly done in the following : 



In order to understand the method of pollination, we must have a 



(121) 



