14 FARMERS' BULLETIN 797. 



other plants except some of the native grasses will survive, while the 

 California Agricultural Experiment Station found that sweet clover 

 will withstand alkali to a remarkable degree. Prof. F. S. Harris, 

 agronomist of the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station at Logan, 

 claims that it is one of the most alkali-resistant crops grown in Utah, 

 and that in 1913 and 1914 quite an industry developed in some parts 

 of that State in growing sweet clover for hay and seed on land too 

 alkaline for other crops. 



In reply to avcircular letter on the culture of sweet clover, approxi- 

 mately 100 county agents and extensive growers of this crop located 

 in many parts of the West state that this plant is one of the most 

 alkali-resistant plants grown in their respective districts. In Crook 

 County, Oreg., a good stand was obtained from April seeding in 1915 

 on a 20-acre demonstration field of sandy loam bottom land so 

 strongly alkaline from black alkali that only salt grass was growing 

 on it before it was planted to sweet clover. This field pastured from 

 18 to 28 head of calves, cows, and horses from June 1 to October 1 

 without being irrigated. Sweet clover generally will grow on soils 

 where salt grass 1 will survive, and it is very much superior to this 

 grass as pasture. After the,drainage of water-logged land on which 

 there is a surface accumulation of alkali, it is the common practice 

 in parts of Utah to grow sweet clover for several years before plant- 

 ing alfalfa. It is often stated that alkali land will grow less tol- 

 erant crops after sweet clover has been grown on it for a few years. 

 The long roots will open up the subsoil and cause better drainage, 

 thereby affording an excellent means for removing the salts from the 

 soil, as they are readily soluble in water. 



NEED OF LIME ON ACID SOILS. 



Sweet clover, like many other legumes, requires a soil containing 

 an abundance of limestone if a maximum growth is to be expected. 

 Throughout the world it makes a luxuriant growth only on cal- 

 careous soils. On the black prairie limestone soils of Alabama and 

 Mississippi it grows luxuriantly, although in this region it is very 

 seldom found on the outcroppings of red clay, which are acid. The 

 distribution corresponds sharply with the line of demarkation be- 

 tween the black prairie soils and other soil types. In some places 

 sweet clover makes a vigorous growth on the Selma chalk (rotten- 

 limestone) soils, while none is to be found on red post-oak clay but 

 a few yards away ; yet sweet clover will grow on the red post-oak clay 

 after the soil has received an application of lime. It will thrive 

 on the bald lime- rock spots and rotten-limestone hills of Mississippi, 

 which are so barren that practically no other plants will survive. 



1 Distichlis spicata. 



