coarser than alfalfa. Its blossoms are slender and 

 white, rarely appearing until the second year. It has 

 a characteristic odor, and is not liked at first by live 

 stock. Undoubtedly its greatest value is as a soil- 

 improver, although it is claimed that stock can be 

 accustomed to it so that they will eat it with some 

 relish. Chemical analysis shows it to be similar in 

 composition to alfalfa. I suppose that, in spite of this 

 fact, they may seem to be as far apart as diamonds 

 and charcoal (both having the same chemical make- 

 up) to the ultimate consumer. 



Unquestionably sweet clover is a desirable crop 

 to precede alfalfa, since the bacteria which work upon 

 the roots of sweet clover also work upon alfalfa; but 

 if our correspondent's experience should be anything 

 like the writer's he will find it rather more difficult to 

 secure a stand and crop of sweet clover than of al- 

 falfa. As I have intimated, it often comes of its own 

 free will where it is neither expected nor desired; but 

 repeated efforts to start it where it has. been wanted 

 have uniformly resulted much less successfully than 

 similar attempts with alfalfa. Accordingly, I can 

 hardly recommend it as a John the Baptist for alfalfa. 

 Nor do I think it anywhere near as sure a crop as 

 red clover. 



One great trouble, perhaps the greatest, is to secure 

 good germinable seed. Just why this is true I won't 

 attempt to say. I have tried many different seeds- 

 men, and it is only rarely that I have succeeded in 

 getting hold of seed one-half of which would grow. 

 I would suggest that, before purchasing seed, our 

 correspondents ask for small samples and test them 

 for germination. 



As to time of seeding, it is probable that June, July, 

 and August are as satisfactory months to seed sweet 

 clover as any. I would sow 15 to 20 pounds of hulled 

 seed, or half a bushel of unhulled seed per acre, on a 

 clean moist seed-bed, harrowing it in, as one would 

 alfalfa. It may also be seeded in corn at the last 

 cultivation with some degree of success where the 

 ground is full of humus, and moisture conditions are 

 favorable after seeding. It is of doubtful utility as a 



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