THE DRY ROUGHAGES 203 



343. Alfalfa for summer feeding. — Alfalfa is a fine crop for 

 soilage because of its high yield and because it furnishes several 

 cuttings throughout the summer. As a pasture grass it is not very- 

 successful because the stand is rather easily injured by grazing, 

 particularly when the ground is soft. 



Alfalfa finds some use as a silage crop but a poor product fre- 

 quently results when it is ensiled alone. The first crop may be put 

 in the silo to save it in poor weather. Because of its palatability as 

 hay there seems to be no advantage in ensiling it unless it cannot 

 be cured properly for hay. 



344. Alfalfa meal. — Grinding the hay does not take it out of 

 the roughage class and the dairyman will find in general that 

 he can raise his roughage cheaper than he can buy it. It is more 

 difficult to judge the quality of alfalfa after it is ground. Frequent- 

 ly the meal contains more stems and less leaves than a good alfalfa 

 hay should. Thus, in buying, the guarantee on the tag should be 

 noted. A good meal, having the proper proportion of stems to 

 leaves, should not contain over 30 per cent crude fiber. 



The Clovers and Other Legumes 



Red clover stands verjr close to alfalfa from the standpoint of 

 feeding value but is ranked below it as a roughage crop for the 

 dairy farm because of its much poorer yield. However, as regards 

 extent to which it is grown, it is the more important forage crop. 



345. Soils for red clover. — Red clover differs from alfalfa in 

 not requiring as fertile a soil and in preferring a less dry soil, thus 

 drainage is not so important. However, clover requires lime the 

 same as does alfalfa and will not live on an acid soil. It also re- 

 quires, for satisfactory growth, the presence of the proper bacteria 

 which enable the plant to take nitrogen from the air, as we have 

 described for alfalfa. Where the soil has grown clover before, 

 these bacteria are probably present; otherwise, it must be in- 

 oculated as we have mentioned in the case of alfalfa. 



346. Seeding. — Red clover is largely sown in March or April, 

 as it is best to sow it when alternate freezing and thawing are 

 taking place. However, it may be scattered on the land in most 



