160 ARID AGRICULTURE. 



and one-half tons per acre of fodder, where the 

 rainfall was less than five inches per annum. 

 This salt bush spreads on the ground, so it is 

 hard to mow for hay, and its great value is as 

 pasture. It becomes an annual where the win- 

 ters are cold, but produces large amounts of seed, 

 and in Colorado reseeded and maintained itself 

 for five seasons. It is very rich in protein and 

 takes out of the soil a large amount of mineral 

 matter, as it contains seventeen per cent, of ash. 

 This salt bush spreads on the ground, so it is 

 seeds must be planted very shallow. It is dif- 

 ficult to get a stand, but after once started it 

 grows under very unfavorable conditions. Salt 

 sages are especially valuable for alkali soils. 



WHITE Bokhara or white sweet clover is a plant which 



CLOVER is much despised as a weed. Its good qualities 



are neither known nor understood. In our opin- 

 ion it is one of the most valuable plants for cer- 

 tain conditions which we can grow in the West. 

 It has qualities which make it a most desirable 

 weed to occupy the waste places on the farm. On 

 irrigated farms, which are properly managed, 

 this clover never becomes a troublesome weed in 

 the fields. It does become more or less trouble- 

 some, however, in some dry farm areas, because 

 it is persistent and will spread even in the na- 

 tive sod. Its qualities are, its great hardiness ; 

 it will grow on soils too poor for other crops and 

 also on strong alkali soils; it will stand more 



