u:r,UMixous FORAGE CROPS 149 



clover plant, assuming a proper quantity of rainfall. It is not 

 entirely hardy throughout the North Atlantic and North Central 

 states. It is not infrequently killed by being heaved out in 

 winter or spring months, especially on poorly drained land. 

 It is not well adapted to stiff clay soils as timothy and other 

 grasses are. It is best adapted to well-drained loams, especially 

 those derived from limestone. While perhaps the yield is less 

 upon sandy loams than upon clay loams, there is less danger 

 from winter killing. A plentiful supply of organic matter in 

 the soil is desirable for red clover. It is better adapted to so- 

 called maize lands than to wheat lands. (C. A. 115) 



157. Fertilizers. Soils that formerly grew clover, but upon 

 which its cultivation has become difficult, can usually be 

 restored by the application of stable manure and lime. The 

 stable manure makes it possible to secure a stand by reason 

 of the organic matter furnishing the proper moisture conditions 

 during germination and early growth, and the lime furnishes 

 proper conditions for an abundant growth of bacteria-bearing 

 tubercles. Where a suitable rotation is practised, the stable 

 manure and lime may best be applied to the maize crop rather 

 than to the wheat or oat crop in which the clover is seeded. 

 (C. A. 292) Gypsum or sulphate of lime at the rate of 500 

 pounds to the acre, applied directly to the clover crop during 

 April or May, sometimes may be used with good results on 

 lands containing plenty of organic matter. 



Potash fertilizers and, on soils relatively low in phosphates, 

 phosphoric fertilizers favor the growth of clovers. Wood ashes 

 containing both lime and potash are frequently used with good 

 results. In mixed herbage the influence of wood ashes in in- 

 creasing the growth of clover is so marked that it has given 

 rise to the saying that wood ashes contain clover seed. 



"It appears, therefore, that, on the soil under experiment, the presence of 

 an abundant supply of available lime, together with phosphorus and potassium, 

 has enabled the clover plant to make a normal growth without the assist- 



