A PASfrURE HANDBOOK 17 



advantage for pasturage, as there are usually 30 days or more of grazing 

 weather after Korean matures. An early strain of Korean called 

 Early Korean lespedeza has value still farther north than the original 

 Korean. 



All the annual lespedezas are valuable in permanent pastures 

 because they reseed each year. They may also be used as supple- 

 mental pasture and are discussed under that topic (p. 36). They 

 begin growth late in the spring, and it is usually May 15 to July 1, 

 depending upon the latitude, before they are ready to graze. The 

 season for grazing ends for Korean about September 30, but that of 

 Common, Kobe, and Tennessee 76 may last until frost comes. 



Inoculation is not necessary in the South, but in the northern part 

 of section 1-b and in 1-a inoculation is advisable unless lespedeza has 

 been grown on the land previously. On poor soils applications of lime, 

 phosphates, and other fertilizers, are usually profitable. 



The prospective planter should consult State authorities in regard 

 to source of seed, especially in case of alfalfa and red clover. 



Bird's-foot trefoil {Lotus corniculatus) is a good legume for pastures 

 in localities where it is adapted. It is a perennial plant with many 

 stems from a single crown similar to alfalfa. In parts of the North- 

 eastern and Pacific Coast States, it is used in grass mixtures for both 

 hay and pasturage. It stands trampling well, is long lived, and is 

 especially valuable for furnishing feed in the summer when most other 

 plants are making but little growth. 



There are other possible permanent legumes but their value has not 

 been sufficiently established to warrant general recommendation. 



PLANT MIXTURES FOR DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES 



It is seldom advisable to seed land intended for a permanent pasture 

 to one grazing plant. A mixture of several kinds, especially of grasses 

 and legumes, has many advantages, among which are the following: 



(1) Legumes in pasture mixtures help to maintain the nitrogen 

 content of the soil and reduce the need of nitrogen fertilizers. 



(2) Mixtures result in a more uniform stand and higher production, 

 because several soil conditions are often represented in a pasture, and 

 pi'ovide plants adapted to each soil condition. 



(3) Mixtures provide a more uniform seasonal production because 

 the periods of flush growth and dormancy vary in different plants. 



(4) Mixtures of grasses and legumes provide a better-balanced 

 ration, as legumes are richer than grasses in protein and minerals. 



The following mixtures are recommended for each section of the 

 United States (fig. 4) where permanent pastures of the highest produc- 

 tivity are desired. The cost of the necessary seed may seem an extrav- 

 agance, but this investment is usually returned within tlie first 2 years 

 because of the higher productivity of pastures thus seeded. 



7104:i.S° — 46 



