LEGUMINOUS FORAGE CROPS 143 



these leaves arise commonly 8 to 10, sometimes 15 to 20, more 

 or less erect leafy branches, with a flower head at their apex. 

 These branches may branch and re-branch, each branch ter- 

 minating in a flower head and thus making a bushy, leafy 

 plant with a large proportion of leaves and small stems. 

 Dietrich gives the relative proportion of parts when in full 

 bloom as: leaflets 19, leaf-stalks n, heads u, and stems 59 

 per cent. 



The height and erectness of the stems depend upon the 

 nature of the soil, the usual height under proper cultural con- 

 ditions varying from 1 8 to 30 inches. In case the stems become 

 procumbent, the lowest nodes usually not more than two 

 produce roots, thus giving red clover a slightly creeping habit. 

 Compared with alsike, white clover, or alfalfa, the leaflets are 

 large, 1.25 to 2 inches long; 075 to I inch wide, and variable 

 in form, and possess more or less prominent v-shaped white 

 markings. The leaf-stalk varies from one to six or more inches 

 in length. 



All the vegetative portions are covered with a hairy down 

 quite variable in amount under different conditions of growth 

 the younger the growth, the thicker and more prominent the 

 hairs. The younger parts are also tender and succulent while 

 the older portions become woody with a pithy interior. When 

 the stems are cut, the remaining portion dies except the short 

 bud-bearing internodes at the base, which soon develop and 

 form new branches. When cut for seed, the whole stem usually 

 dies. The stipules, one inch in length and attached to the 

 petiole, have prominent parallel veins. The free triangular 

 apex is prolonged into an awn-like process. 



149. Inflorescence. The inflorescence consists of round to 

 elongated oval, single, sometimes forked spikes, typically one 

 to one and a half inches long, containing from 100 to 200 dark 

 to light pink, sometimes white, sessile flowers. The first crop 

 of red clover blooms throughout the North Atlantic and North 



