MISCELLAXEOUS INFORMATIOX. 675 



who are farmers to cultivate the Alsike clover. For while it is, 

 for pasturing or haj' purposes, decidedly preferable to red clover, 

 it full}^ equals it in the secretion of honey, and far surpasses the 

 white. Its cultivation would, therefore, greatly increase the 

 forage for bees, which is very desirable. I have ever contended 

 that no plant can be cultivated with profit for bee-pasturage 

 nlone — that bee-keeping is profitable from the fact that bees 

 gather w-hat would othei'wise run to waste ; 3'et the bee-keeper 

 ma}' often cultivate a crop that, while it proves remunerative as 

 such, will, at the same time, increase the pasturage for his bees. 



Perhaps nothing will better meet the wants of the bee-keeper 

 in this respect than the Alsike clover. 2s ot only so, but the 

 farmer who does not keep Ijci's would find it to his advantage to 

 sow Alsike clover instead of red clover, as will be seen from 

 the following account of the experience of the Shaker family, near 

 Albany, Xew York, furnished to the '' The Counfrij Gentleman,'''' 

 by Mr. Chauncy Miller, a member of that famil}' : 



" We'find the Alsike clover a very superior grass in the follow- 

 ing points : 



" 1. For its value as a hay crop on a great variety' of soils, 

 being of a growth, in height, varying according to qualit}' of soil, 

 from ten inches to two and a half feet, and yielding from one and 

 a half to three tons per acre ; thus comparing with our best red 

 clovers. 



"2. For fineness of stalk or haum. 



" 3. For its multitude of sweet flowers, blooming, perhaps, three 

 or four times as much as red clover, making, when in bloom, 

 literall}^ a sea of flowers. 



"4. Its adaptation to heavy soils, clay, or .leavy clay loams, 

 as well as sandy soils, not being so liable to heave out by frosts 

 in winter and spring as red clover, on account of the root being 

 more fibrous, partaking somewhat of the character of the white 

 clover. 



" 5. To all farmers who keep bees largely, the crop wonld be of 

 ^reat value, for bees can work upon the flowers equall}- as well as 

 apon wdiite clover, the blossoms being about the same size, and 

 irecisel}' of the same habit as the latter, but much more abundant 

 u honey ; bees are as fond of the flowers as of mignonette, and, 

 n its season of flowering, which lasts about six weeks, are con- 

 ;inuaUy upon it, from dewy morn until dusk}' eve. • 



" 6. To those farmers raising clover seed for market, the 

 Vlsike clover, in our opinion, would be of great value, as it 

 ;eeds enormously, and the seed threshes easily, by flail or 

 aachine, leaving a beautiful quality of hay, the stalks retaining 

 heir greenness when most of the seed is quite ripe." 



According to tlie above, it would be advisable for farmers to 

 ultivate it whether they keep bees or not. That the above is not 

 'verdrawn is fully proved by those who have tried it in Canada. 

 4i 



