(53) 



riod 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 consider- 

 ably smaller than the seeds of red clover. 



This clover does not make much growth the first year, 

 and attains 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 pe- 

 rennial, 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, prefer- 

 ably 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 fre- 

 quented 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: 



Red clover : 



Flesh formers , 13.4 



Heat producing substances 29.9 



Crude fibre , 35.8 



Fat 3.2 



Ash , 6.2 



Alsike : 



Flesh formers 15.3 



Heat producing substances 29.2 



Crude fibre 30.5 



Fat 3.3 



Ash 8.3 



The great difference in the amount of crude fibre is no- 

 ticeable, and shows decidedly in favor of Alsike clover. 



