MINOR CROPS. 333 



in a manner very similar to lucerne. The inflorescence is a dense 

 liead about an mch in diameter when fully developed, usually 

 red in colour, but may be white. The oblong leaflets are gene- 

 rally marked with a white spot of varyitfg size and shape. It 

 is completely self -sterile ; cross pollination is effected by insects, 

 chiefiy bumljle bees. The pods contain only one seed each and 

 the flowers are persistent. The seeds may be yellow or purple, 

 and some may be bright at one end and dark at the other. 

 Mammoth Ked or Cow Grass (T. pratense var. perenne) is a 

 coarser perennial variety of Eed Clover. 



Red Clover is essentially a crop for humid parts where 

 temperatures are not very high. It has poor drought-resisting 

 qualities, and since lucerne can generally be grown on irrigable 

 land which will grow Eed Clover, there seems to be no advan- 

 tage in employing it on such fields. It is, however, not so 

 exacting in its soil requirements as lucerne, and does best on 

 well drained calcareous soils. 



It is probable that in suitable areas in parts of South Africa 

 having winter rainfall and on inoculated soils, if sown in Feb- 

 ruary, March and April, it could be grown without irrigation, 

 giving a good hay crop before the hot and dry summer months 

 set in. 



Clover should be sown at the rate of 8 to 12 lbs. per acre. 



It is often sown with grasses, giving two hay crops during 

 the first season and providing with the grasses, excellent grazing 

 the following year. The hay is easier to cure and handle than 

 lucerne hay. If cut at full bloom and before the heads com- 

 mence to turn brown, it gives hay of the highest feeding value. 

 When grown continuously in the same soil, the crop eventually 

 becomes unthrifty and the soil is said to be " clover-sick." A 

 great many theories have been advanced to explain this, but 

 none has been proven. 



Nearly 50 per cent, of the plant at full bloom consists of 

 roots, which to a great extent explains its remarkably beneficial 

 effect on the soil. 



Crimson Clover (T. incarnatum) is an annual adapted to 

 somew^hat hotter areas than Red Clover. It is very poor in 

 resisting drought and there seems to be no outstanding reason 

 why its cultivation in South Africa should be encouraged. It 

 is distinguished from T. pratense by its longer inflorescence of 

 a rich scarlet or crimson colour. The head has a bluish green 

 tint before flowTring. 



