90 FORAGE CROPS. 



capable of furnishing early pasture in the spring 

 time in that region of mild winters. 



Crimson clover can be grown with success in 

 much of the area south of the 40th parallel, and east 

 of a line running irregularly down through the 

 states of Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana, and not 

 far from the western border of these states. In 

 other words, crimson clover would seem to have the 

 least adaptation for those states and provinces that 

 are far enough north to grow the medium red clover 

 at its best. And it would seem to have the highest 

 adaptation to localities with weather too warm to 

 grow that species of clover at its best. 



Place in the Rotation. — In the rotation crimson 

 clover should be grown as a catch crop; that is to 

 say, it should follow some crop that has been har- 

 vested one season, and should precede some crop to 

 be grown immediately after the clover the following 

 season. The plan of growing it on land that needs 

 to be enriched is a wise one, hence it will frequently 

 be sown after a grain crop, and before some culti- 

 vated crop that does not of necessity require to be 

 planted early the following season. Crimson clover 

 is, therefore, commonly grown without missing a 

 crop. Not infrequently it is sown annually in 

 orchards that are in bearing, and plowed under to 

 feed the fruit trees from year to year. 



Soil. — Crimson clover grows best on a warm 

 soil ; that is to say, on a soil of open texture and with 

 good drainage. It has special adaptation, therefore, 

 to loam soils with a free admixture of sand in them. 

 But if the clover is to grow vigorously on these soils 

 it is necessary, first, that moisture shall be present in 

 the growing season ; and, second, that sufficient fer- 



