110 FODDER AND PASTURE PLANTS. 



Cultural conditions: Alsike prefers localities where moisture 

 is abundant in the soil and in the air. The most suitable soil is a 

 moist clay loam or clay. Like Red Clover, it requires time for its 

 development. In central Ontario certain gravelly clay soils, rich in 

 lime, are especially well adapted to it. It can be grown to advantage 

 where the soil is too wet for ordinary Red Clover. On poorly drained 

 land, where Red Clover would be a certain failure, Alsike will succeed, 

 provided other conditions are suitable. 



Climate: Alsike has not been successfully grown in Manitoba 

 and Saskatchewan. This may be due either to the severe winter or 

 to the dry growing season, or to both. European experience indi- 

 cates that the dry summers may be the chief cause of the failure of 

 Alsike in the Prairie Provinces. Prolonged drought prevents the 

 young plants from making a good growth before cold weather and thus 

 renders them susceptible to winter-killing. Even old, well-established 

 plants are more seriously affected by drought than is Red Clover. 

 This is doubtless due to the rather shallow root system of Alsike; it is 

 not able to collect the moisture from the subsoil. In dry districts 

 which are irrigated good returns are obtained. 



Habits of growth: Under favourable conditions Alsike will 

 flower late in the autumn of the season it is sown. Commonly, 

 however, the plants enter the winter in the same stage of develop- 

 ment as do those of Red Clover. The following spring the plants 

 start comparatively late and do not bloom as early as ordinary Red 

 Clover. Usually they are two weeks later and blossom about the 

 same time as Mammoth Clover. If cut for hay, the aftermath 

 develops quickly but is rarely sufficient to warrant a second cutting. 



Agricultural value: When grown for hay Alsike is generally 

 mixed with Red Clover and grasses such as Timothy and Red Top; 

 on account of its spreading growth, it is liable to lodge if grown alone. 

 When in mixtures, the stronger-growing grasses and clovers support 

 the Alsike and the hay produced is of a finer quality. The common 

 mixture in Ontario is two pounds of Alsike, eight of Red Clover and 

 four of Timothy to the acre. As a rule ordinary Red Clover is used 

 although it is earlier than the other two. If the mixture is cut for 

 hay when Red Clover is at the proper stage, Alsike and Timothy are 

 not ready, and if cut when the latter are at their best the feeding 

 value of Red Clover has decreased. Alsike should be cut for hay 

 when it is in full bloom or a little later; that is, when the earliest 

 flowering heads begin to turn brown. Late cutting will not lessen 

 the value of Alsike hay as much as that of Red Clover, as Alsike 



