PLANTS OF THE CLOVER FAMILY. 69 



food or hay itiotie- season, whereas, the others only 

 produce one. 



Mammoth clover (Trifolium medium) is also 

 biennial and perennial in- its habit of growth. It 

 differs from the other clovers in the stronger char- 

 acter of the top and root growth which characterizes 

 it. The food which it produces is in consequence 

 coarser in character, unless when the plants are 

 grown very thickly. It is better adapted than the 

 medium variety to soils that are medium or less than 

 that in fertility. The bloom on both the medium 

 and mammoth varieties is a beautiful red. To the 

 casual observer the only differences apparent in the 

 varieties while they are growing are the large-*- leaf, 

 stem and head of the mammoth variety. 



Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) is a peren- 

 nial plant. The period of its duration is dependent 

 on such conditions as pertain to climate, soil and 

 treatment. All of the clovers under discussion will 

 live longer than they otherwise would if prevented 

 from producing seed. This kind differs from all 

 the others in the greater fineness of the growth and 

 in the beautiful blending of white and red tints in 

 the bloom. 



Crimson or Scarlet clover (Trifolium incarna- 

 tum) is an annual plant, that is to say, it completes 

 the cycle of its existence within twelve months from 

 the date of sowing the seed, although more com- 

 monly it is sown one year and reaped the next. It 

 differs from the other clovers in the shape of the 

 heads, which are oblong and cone-shaped, in the 

 rich scarlet color of the bloom, and in the more 

 hairy character of the stems, a property which 



