ALSIKE CLOVER 241 



summer or early fall. The quantity of seed will 

 be about one -half that recommended for red 

 clover, as the seeds are about half as large. A 

 pure sowing of alsike, however, is not usually 

 advisable, because of the tendency to lodge, as 

 already pointed out; although, where it grows well, 

 it may be used in a soiling-crop rotation with 

 great advantage. 



Value and yield 



Mixtures of red and alsike clovers and timothy 

 make a most excellent forage, the timothy sup- 

 porting the clover and preventing lodging. The 

 alsike wall mature about a week later than the 

 red clover. It makes a very rapid and usually 

 a large second growth. The best time for cut- 

 ting is when the plant is in flower, as at this 

 period it is richest in digestible nutritive matter. 

 It contains more water, as a rule, than red clover, 

 thus causing the same tonnage weight to carry 

 less nutriment. The yield will range from eight 

 to twelve tons per acre, depending on the charac- 

 ter of the soil. The composition of this clover is 

 similar to that of red clover. 



Alsike hay and pasture 



Alsike clover makes very palatable and useful 

 hay, its fineness of stem and large proportion of 



