48 



CLOVERS: THEIR YALUE, CHARACTERISTICS OF 

 VARIETIES AND METHODS OF PRODUCTION.' 



•by prof. wm. p, brooks, director massacpiusetts agricultural 

 experiment station. 



Most farmers who keep stock appreciate the fact that the 

 clovers are among the most valuable of all the forage crops 

 that can he produced in IMassachusetts. The reasons why the 

 clovers are so important are not always clearly understood. 

 In this article the writer will attempt to make these reasons 

 clear, liot infrequently, in personal interviews or by letter, 

 the writer's attention is called to the fact that in some locali- 

 ties farmers are meeting with poor success in their efforts to 

 produce this valuable class of forage crops. The reasons for 

 comparative failure in efforts to produce clover doubtless vary 

 in different localities, and it may not be possible for one un- 

 familiar with conditions to give directions which Avill always 

 lead to success. Certain conditions, however, which are well 

 established, must be provided, or failure will be the result. 

 An effort will be made to make a clear statement as to what 

 these conditions are, for it is in many cases at least true that 

 comparative failure in the effort to produce clovers is due to 

 a failure to observe some one or more of these conditions. 



Reasons why Clovers are especially Valuable on the 



Farm. 

 It is the writer's opinion that on farms where stock is 

 kept it will usually not be profitable to use clovers as green 

 manures. They can be better utilized on such farms by cut- 

 ting and feeding to stock, or by pasturing. On the other 



1 "Agriculture of Massachusetts,*- 1906. 



