CHAPTER V. 



PLANTS OF THE CLOVER FAMILY. 



Unfortunately the number of the species of 

 this very useful family of forage plants that have 

 hitherto been grown in North America is not large. 

 The list includes the common or medium red, the 

 mammoth, the alsike, the crimson, the white or 

 Dutch clover and alfalfa. All of these are grown 

 for forage to a greater or a lesser extent, and all of 

 them are also grown singly or in certain combina- 

 tions to produce fodders to be eaten in the cured 

 form. But it is only with reference to pasture that 

 they will be considered here. 



COMMON OR MEDIUM RED CLOVER. 



Common or medium red clover ( Trifolium pra- 

 tense) is one of the best forage plants that a kind 

 Providence ever gave to the people of this continent. 

 Its great value as a forage plant arises, first, from the 

 length of the season during which it will provide 

 pasture ; second, from the large amount relatively of 

 this pasture that it will furnish from a given area; 

 third, from the high nutritive properties it possesses ; 

 fourth, from the almost uninterrupted continuity of 

 the growth of the plants from spring until autumn ; 

 and, fifth, from the ease with which it may be grown 

 in combination with various other forage plants. 

 Usually, medium red clover will furnish pasture 

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