CHAPTER III 



MEDIUM RED CLOVER 



Medium Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) is also 

 known by the names Common Red Clover, Broad- 

 Leaved Clover and Meadow Trefoil. The term 

 medium has doubtless come to be applied to it be- 

 cause the plants are in size intermediate between 

 the Mammoth variety (Trifolium magnum) and the 

 smaller varieties, as the Alsike (Trifolium hybri- 

 dum) and the small white (Trifolium repens). 

 But by no designation is it so frequently referred 

 to as that of Red Clover. 



This plant is spreading and upright in its habit 

 of growth. Several branches rise up from the 

 crown of each plant, and these in turn frequently 

 become branched more or less in their upward 

 growth. The heads which produce the flowers are 

 nearly globular in shape, inclining to ovate, and 

 average about one inch in diameter. Each plant 

 contains several heads, and frequently a large num- 

 ber when the growth is not too crowded. When in 

 full flower these are of a beautiful purple crimson, 

 hence, a field of luxuriant red clover is beautiful to 

 look upon. The stems of the plants are slightly 

 hairy, and ordinarily they stand at least fairly erect 

 and reach the height of about one foot or more ; but 

 when the growth is rank, they will grow much 



