190 



Effective Farming 



belong to a different family and are related to alfalfa. Two 

 kinds are grown in the United States, the spotted, or southern 

 (Fig. 81), and the toothed, or California (Fig. 82). The spotted 



variety is distinguished by a 

 purple spot in the center of 

 each leaflet, the toothed by the 

 edges of the leaves. The bur 

 clovers are low-growing plants 

 that spread out on the ground 

 unless seeded thickly or grown 

 with grasses. They are adapted 

 to regions with mild, moist 

 winters. They find their 

 greatest usefulness in this 

 country in the Gulf Coast 

 States, except Florida, and 

 along the Pacific Coast. 



The best time for planting 

 in the South is September, but 

 seedings as early as August or 

 as late as December often give 

 fair results. Either hulled or 

 unhulled seeds may be sown, but as the hulled seeds germinate 

 more readily planting may be delayed about two to four weeks 

 if this kind is used. The usual time for planting in California 

 is the first part of October. 



Bur clovers are grown for hay, for pasture, and for green- 

 manure. When grown for hay, a dense stand is necessary to 

 secure a crop, because of the trailing habits of the vines. Often 

 the seed is sown with oats or wheat, as the plants then have 

 the tendency to grow erect. For pasture purposes bur clovers 

 are used for hogs, cattle, sheep, and poultry ; horses and mules 

 do not eat them. In the South a mixture of bur clover and Ber- 

 muda-grass is very satisfactory for pasture. Its use as green- 

 manure is discussed in a previous chapter. 



FIG. 82. Toothed bur clover. 



