302 



Elementary Principles of Agriculture 



seed are small and produce delicate seedlings which may 

 easily be destroyed by dry weather, extreme cold, or 

 weeds, though when once established, the plants are quite 

 resistant to all. It is never advisable to attempt seeding 



alfalfa on foul land. Alfalfa 

 seed retain their vitality for 

 years. The seed bed should 

 be mellow and well settled be- 

 fore the seed are sown. In 

 rpHBMpfHBHfF I most sections, sowing seed in 

 late summer or early fall is 

 preferred to spring seeding. It 

 is usual to plant about 10 to 

 20 pounds of seed per acre. 



434. Southern Clovers. 

 There are two classes of clovers 

 common in the humid regions 

 of the South. Lespedeza or 

 Japan clover is a summer grow- 

 ing species, and is an import- 

 ant hay crop in portions of 

 Arkansas, Louisiana, and 

 Mississippi, and for pasture 

 in other sections. The Burr 

 clovers are low winter grow- 

 ing legumes originally from 

 southern Europe, now widely 

 naturalized in the South and in California. They are 

 highly valued for grazing and as soil improving crops. 



435. Peanut. The peanut is a low-growing tropical 

 annual requiring 100 to 150 days of warm weather to 

 mature a crop. Sandy soils are preferable because the 

 nuts are not stained as they are on heavy clay soils. 



Fig. 191. Alfalfa plants showing 

 crown of stems and deep feeding 

 root. 

 Kansas Agricultural College. 



