WHITE CLOVER 267 



crop of forest in the one case and of native prairie 

 in the other. But it will not take possession of the 

 land in either case to the exclusion of other grasses. 



Preparing the Soil. The preparation of the 

 soil for growing this plant is much the same as for 

 growing other plants of the clover or grass family. 

 Fineness, firmness, cleanness and moistness are the 

 chief essentials to be looked for in making the seed- 

 bed. For the same reason that it has much power 

 to grow among weeds for so small a plant, it has 

 also much power to grow on surfaces not in the best 

 condition of preparation for receiving so small a 

 seed. But when sown to provide a seed crop, it is 

 specially necessary to make the land thoroughly 

 clean before sowing the seed. This is necessary for 

 the reason, first, that small white clover, because 

 of its tardiness in growing in the spring, and be- 

 cause of its comparatively small growth has not 

 much power to crowd weeds; and second, because 

 of the labor involved in preventing weed seeds from 

 maturing in a crop that ripens its seeds somewhat 

 late in the season. While it is advantageous to 

 burn off the grass from a natural meadow where 

 white clover is to be sown, it is not so essential, 

 nevertheless, as when preparing such land for being 

 sown with some other varieties of grass or clover. 

 The young plants will endure under conditions which 

 would cause those of many other varieties to fail. 



Sowing. White clover is sown by much the 

 same methods as the medium red variety. (See 

 page 75.) But it will stand more hardship than the 

 other variety; hence, it may be sown earlier. This 



