76 FORAGE CROPS. 



mulch, or it may be cured for hay, as desired. Swine 

 pastures especially will be benefited by this mode of 

 treatment, and in any event it will hinder the matur- 

 ing of weed seeds. 



There is no better method of obtaining a crop of 

 medium red clover seed than by pasturing the clover 

 closely for a time, and then removing the stock. 

 The pasturing should begin as soon as the growth 

 in the clover plants will warrant turning in the 

 stock. The season for removing the stock will vary 

 with the locality and with the rainfall, but in any 

 event it should take place from, say, ten to fifteen 

 days earlier than the period when the clover not so 

 pastured would be in bloom. Clover plants thus 

 managed seem capable of bearing more and better 

 seed than those which come into flower before they 

 are cut to be made into hay. After the seed has been 

 removed, another season of pasturing may follow, 

 but the production of seed lessens the power of the 

 plants to grow pasture. 



After the first cutting of the clover has been 

 made in order to provide hay, an abundance of pas- 

 ture will usually be furnished by the clover the same 

 season, providing a crop of seed or a second crop of 

 hay is not desired. As the weather at that season 

 is usually drier than in the spring, the live stock 

 should not be turned in on the clover uiHil it has 

 made considerable growth, as then it furnishes more 

 or less shade, which tends to lessen evaporation. 



Medium red clover furnishes excellent pasture 

 for horses, cattle, sheep and swine. But sometimes 

 there is hazard in turning cattle and sheep into a 

 clover pasture, more especially when the plants are 

 very succulent, and the hazard is increased when 



