THE CLOVERS 



small, while red clover may make a heavy second 

 crop. Its use should become more general on 

 thin soils, its strong root-growth enabling it to 

 thrive better than the red, and the lack of fertility 

 preventing the stalks from becoming unduly coarse 

 for hay. The amount of seed used per acre, 

 when grown by itself, should be the same as that 

 of red clover. 



Alsike Clover. A variety of clover that may 

 have gained more popularity than its merit 

 warrants is alsike clover. It is more nearly 

 perennial than the mammoth. The roots do not 

 go deep into the subsoil like those of the red or 

 the mammoth, and therefore it is better adapted 

 to wet land. It remains several years in the ground 

 when grazed, and is usually found in seed mix- 

 tures for pastures. It is decumbent, and difficult 

 to harvest for hay when seeded alone. It is 

 credited with higher yields than the red by most 

 authorities, but this is not in accord with obser- 

 vation in some regions, and it is markedly in- 

 ferior to the red in the organic matter and the 

 nitrogen supplied the soil in the roots. 



The popularity of this clover is due to its ability 

 to withstand some soil acidity and bad physical 

 conditions. In regions where red clover is de- 



[55] 



