leouhinoi a i i;ops. 583 



The Soil. 



Clover requires fairly good soil. Those of a clayey nature, such as stiff 

 clays and loams, give good crops; light loams also prove satisfactory. Rich 

 alluvial flats are eminently suitable, and usually give splendid crops. Sandy 

 soils are unsatisfactory, and good crops are rarely obtained from them. An 

 abundance of potash and phosphoric acid encourages its growth, as does also 

 lime. This last is essential as a plant-food, but its chief value to the clover 

 crop appears to be that it increases the amotint of soluble potash in the soil. 

 It is noticeable that where lime is applied to clay soils clover appears spon- 

 taneously in the pasture. It rarely so appears in sandy soils, except perhaps 

 to a limited extent. 



The land must be worked down to a fine, level, firm condition. Deep 

 ploughing should be given, and the harrow and roller used until the right 

 degree of fineness is reached. The seed should not be covered deeply. 



Manuring. 



Fairly liberal manuring is required on poor soils. Lime is beneficial, and 

 can be applied at the rate of one ton per acre. Wood ashes and gypsum also 

 form good manures; they can be applied at the rate of 10 cwt. per acre. 



Nitrogenous manures are not usually required, but in some cases may be 

 necessary. The plant should be encouraged to obtain its nitrogen from the 

 air, through the agency of bacteria. At the same time a small amount of 

 nitrogen may be helpful until the plants are able to gather it from the air. 



Feeding the Crop. 



Clover can be fed either as a green feed, hay, or pasturage. For green 

 feed or hay it should be cut when ahout one-third of the bloom is out. The 

 hay is a little difficult to cure, out if the methods recommended for lueerne 

 are followed, good hay will be obtained. Care should be taken in feeding 

 green clover, as it is liable to cause bloating. Stock should be accustomed 

 to it gradually, and given some other feed in aldition. Clover hay is equal 

 to lucerne hay, and, like it, improves the feeding value of green maize or 

 silage. 



TYPES OF CLOVER. 



There are three distinct kinds of clover, viz., annual, biennial, and 

 perennial, and there are several varieties' of each. 



All the clovers of the interior, including Ball clover (Trifolvum glomera- 

 tum), Woolly clover (T. tomeivtosum) , Hare's Foot clover (T. arvense), 

 Spotted clover (T. maculaium). are of an annual nature, and in addition 

 most of the medicago family, generally termed clovers, such as Burr clover 

 (Medicago denticulata) , Woolly Burr clover (M. minima), and Snail or 

 Button clover (M. orbicularis). These valuable nutritious fodder plants 

 occur spontaneously in pastures, and provide a considerable amount of feed 

 in the spring months. Owing to the manner, however, in which they quickly 

 disappear under the hot summer conditions, practically 70 per cent, of their- 

 growth is wasted unless utilised as silage or hay. 



