196 



Feeds and Feeding. 



the soil. "Wlieu the latter have been grown for a period upon a 

 tract they have exhausted its fertility in some nicasure. Where 

 clover is grown, although much fertility is removed with the crop, 

 the land still seems in excellent heart for other crops which follow. 



The discovery that the free nitrogen of the air can be fixed by 

 the legumes and turned over to the soil, thus securing without 

 cost to the farmer one of the most precious elements so largely 

 required by plants, has at last explained what was so long a 

 mystery, and should make us doubly appreciative of these most 

 useful plants. 



In the northeastern United States the clovers are the commonly 

 cultivated leguminous plants. In the southern portion of our 

 country, crimson and Japan clover, the cowpea, soj:i bean and 

 other legumes floui-ish, while the whole v. ctorn half of the United 

 States is served by that wonderful representative, the alfalfa or 

 lucem plant 



285. Red clover. — This plant is found on every well-regulated 

 farm in the northeastern United States, where with grasses it 

 stands prominent in rotation with corn and the cereals. Eed 

 clover serves for both pasture and hay purposes, yielding large 

 returns. 



At the Wisconsin Station, ^ WoU, cutting clover three times 

 during the season, secured the results given below: 



Yield of three crops of red clover — Wisconsin Station. 



Date of cutting. 



First crop, May 29 ... 

 Second crop, July 16 

 Third crop, Sept. 1... 



clover. 



Lbs. 



29,220 



10,020 



7,221 



Dry Dry 



matter, matter. 



Per cent. 



8.2 

 22.5 

 27.5 



Lbs. 



2,402 

 3,599 

 1,986 



Here is a yield of over twenty-five tons of green forage per 

 acre, which may be regarded aa representing the maximum 

 return for this crop. From one-half to two-thirds this amount 

 may be relied upon by the stockman as a fair crop under average 

 conditions. 



Kept 1889. 



