( 44) 

 AL.SIKE CLOVER (Trifolium hybrid-urn.) 



This species of clover was introduced into England from Sweden, 

 hence it is sometimes called Swedish clover. It gets the name 

 Alsikefrom the parish of Alsike, in the province of Upland. It is 

 a perennial found wild throughout many parts of Sweden, Norway 

 and Finland. 



Alsike clover, as compared with common red clover, has a 

 slenderer stalk, narrower leaf, and paler colored flowers and foliage. 

 The flower stalks are longer, and the blossoms more fragrant and 

 sweeter to the taste. When first open, the blooms are but faintly 

 tinged with pink, subsequently they deepen into a pale red, and 

 stand up. When the period of flowering passes the heads droop 

 and turn brown. The seed pods contain three or four seeds, which 

 are kidney-shaped, and from dark green to violet color, and consid- 

 erably smaller than the seeds of red clover. 



This clover does not make much growth the first year, and at- 

 tains full growth only in its third year. It yields less than the 

 red clover, and has but little or no aftermath. It is hardier and 

 sweeter than red clover, and being a perennial, is more lasting, and 

 it makes a finer hay. 



Wherever it has been tried, experience has taught that it is 

 best to seed it down with red clover, or some grass, preferably 

 orchard grass, for the reasons that it does not occupy the ground the 

 first year, and is liable to fall and lodge badly if sown alone. I 

 have noticed that it is much frequented by bees. It does not stand 

 the long dry summers of our latitude well but seems to like cool, 

 moist regions. 



As compared with red clover, the hay is richer by two per cent 



in flesh formers both cut in bloom. The analyses of both, as 



given by Professors Wolff and Knop, show : 



Bed clover : 



Flesh formers 134 



Heat producing substances 29.9 



Crude fibre 353 



Fat ..../../.V.......7.....""1...Z 3.2 



Ash c Q 2 



Alsike : 



Flesh formers 15 3 



Heat producing substances ....29.2 



Crude fibre 30 ' 5 



f' "'.:::::::::::::: ** 



Ash Q Q 



