No. 4.] GRASSES AND FORAGE CROPS. 189 



The Clovers and Other Legumes. 

 While these plants do not belong to the grass family, 

 they constitute one of the most important groups of forage 

 crops, both on account of their high feeding value and their 

 effect on the fertility of soils. As a rule, hay plants con- 

 tain an excess of woody fibre and starchy materials, but are 

 relatively deficient in nitrogenous matter or protein. A 

 one-sided ration is furnished when hay from the pure grasses 

 is fed. The clovers and other legumes are rich in protein, 

 and are especially valuable to use with grasses to help 

 balance the ration. When plenty of clover is available, less 

 of such feeds as cotton-seed, linseed and gluten meals, 

 which are used mainly to supply protein, need be pur- 

 chased. In addition to the high feeding value of clovers, 

 they are of great value for keeping up and even increasing 

 the fertility of the soil. The clovers belong to a class of 

 plants which gather most of their nitrogen from the air, and 

 much of this nitrogen goes to the soil through the manure. 

 In addition, considerable fertility results from the decay 

 of stubble, roots and leaves, which remain after the crop is 

 harvested. One drawback to the successful culture of 

 clover on many farms seems to be the lack of lime in the 

 soil. The lime is needed, not only as plant food, but to 

 overcome the acid condition of the soil, which is detrimen- 

 tal to the growth of clover. The liberal use of lime has 

 made many of the soils of Rhode Island productive of 

 clover, upon which it formerly "winter-killed" nearly 

 every year. Much poor success with clover is also due to 

 not seeding at the proper times. Clover seeded with 

 grasses in July or the early part of August will seldom fail 

 to produce a vigorous growth during the following fall. 

 This will provide a good cover for the roots during the 

 winter, and in the spring the clover will make an early 

 start, and generally produce two heavy crops the first sea- 

 son. The first year the clover w r ill predominate, while the 

 second year the crop will be about one-half grasses, and the 

 third year the clover will have nearly disappeared. Clover 

 is short-lived, and the supply can be kept up only by fre- 

 quent seeding. The common red clover is without doubt the 



