70 FORAGE CROPS. 



larly those of a reddish cast, as, for instance, the 

 clay lands lying southward from Duluth, Minn. The 

 same is true of some sandy soils, more especially 

 those of volcanic origin, as, for instance, soils in the 

 Flathead valley, Mont. The light soils of the 

 prairie, that sink readily beneath the tread when 

 being cultivated, do not possess marked adaptation 

 for the growth of clover; but it can be successfully 

 grown on these when moisture is present in suffi- 

 cient quantities, and where the climate is otherwise 

 suitable. Over large areas where clover could not 

 be made to grow successfully on these soils when 

 first brought under cultivation, it now grows with 

 much certainty as a pasture crop and also as a hay 

 crop. This is partly owing to the firming of the 

 land through cropping it, and partly, it is claimed, 

 to the increase of certain bacteria in the soil favor- 

 able to the growth of clover. These, it is affirmed, 

 increase in the soil with the continued growth of the 

 clover. Although clover will grow on land that is 

 not rich, it may be necessary to enrich some kinds 

 of poor soil, as, for instance, poor sands, before 

 clover can be made to grow on them with any 

 marked degree of success. The attempt to grow 

 clover successfully on such lands when the rainfall 

 is not plentiful, and when they are underlaid with 

 sand and gravel, is a hopeless undertaking in the 

 absence of irrigating waters. 



Preparing the Soil. — In growing clover for 

 pasture, the preparation of the soil is the same as in 

 growing it for hay. It is more commonly sown 

 along with a nurse crop, hence the preparation of 

 soil that is best suited to growing the nurse crop 

 will also usually be best suited to the growing of the 



