28 HATCH EXPEKIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



application of muriate of potash at the rate of 200 pounds 

 per acre, and the other half receive the same quantity of 

 high-grade sulphate of potash. The land was occupied by 

 grain crops cut for fodder in 1895. Soon after the fodder 

 was removed the land was ploughed, and the seed was sown 

 on August 1. Of the mammoth and common red clovers, 

 3 pounds of seed per plat were sown ; of the alsike clover, 

 2i pounds ; and of the crimson clover, 4 pounds. The seed 

 of all varieties started promptly and well and all varieties 

 went into the winter in excellent condition. 



The crimson clover early in March appeared to be in good 

 condition, but during the latter weeks of March it gradually 

 weakened and died. By the first of April there was scarcely 

 a plant in the field alive. This species appears unable to 

 endure our average spring weather. The crimson clover 

 plats were accordingly ploughed in April and resown, 5i 

 pounds of seed per plat being used, on April 24. The seed 

 started quickly, and, as will be seen by the table? which fol- 

 low, this variety gave one good crop, at the rate of nearly 

 3 tons to the acre on the best plat. This clover was cut on 

 July 17, at which time it was in mid-bloom. Notwithstand- 

 ing frequent showers soon after, the stubble failed to start, 

 and in a few weeks was almost entirely dead, at which time 

 the plats were reploughed. It will undoul)ted]y be found 

 necessary to cut this variety just as it begins to bloom, in 

 order to insure later cuttings. 



The very few plants in this field (as well as those from 

 another with lighter soil) Avhich survived the early spring 

 weather were taken up and replanted, in order to secure 

 seed, in the hope that we may in time by a continuance of 

 this process of selection produce a strain or variety of this 

 species which will prove hardy with us. 



For culture as an annual it seems unlikely that crimson 

 clover will prove of much importance, as in that case it 

 would not give earlier fodder than the other clovers. Could 

 it be cultivated as a winter annual, on the contrary, it must 

 take an important place as a crop both for fodder and for 

 green manuring, — for fodder chiefly, because it would be 

 ready to cut at so early a date, and for green manuring, 

 since it grows so rai)idl3\ 



