CRIMSON CLOVER AND OTHER ANNUALS 435 



While shaft al withstands the winter in Maryland when 

 fall sown, its lodging habit makes it less desirable than 

 crimson clover. It has given excellent results under 

 irrigation in Arizona as a winter crop. 



BERSEEM (Trifolium alexandrinum) 



526. Berseem is an annual white-flowered clover, much 

 cultivated in the valley of the Nile in lower Egypt, where 

 about 1,500,000 acres are grown as a winter annual under 

 irrigation. It is probably native to this region, but the 

 species is not known in a wild state. There are three 

 varieties grown : the Fachl, cut but once ; the Saidi, cut 

 twice ; and the Muscowi, cut as many as four times. 



It was introduced into the United States in 1900 and 

 widely tested. As it is destroyed when the temperature 

 falls to about 18 F., it can be grown in most of the United 

 States only as a summer annual. For that purpose it 

 cannot compete with other clovers especially red and 

 alsike as it does not yield as well and must be planted 

 each season. 



In the extreme southern portions of the United States, 

 from California to Texas, berseem succeeds well enough 

 under irrigation, but cannot compete with alfalfa. As a 

 winter crop to grow in short rotations, it may eventually 

 be utilized in this region. 



The seed of berseem is cheap, but is likely to contain 

 wild mustard seed as an impurity. 



YELLOW TREFOIL (Medicago lupulina) 



527. Yellow trefoil is also known as black medick and 

 nonesuch, and rarely as hop clover, the last term being 

 more properly applied to yellow-flowered clovers. Yel- 



