CHAPTER X 



LEGUMINOUS CROPS 



LEGUMINOUS plants increase the fertility of the soil by 

 adding nitrogen to it. If the roots of a legume are removed 

 from the ground and closely examined, small swellings, or 

 nodules, may be seen on them. In these nodules are bac- 

 teria that have the power of taking nitrogen from the air 

 and of supplying it to the nodule-bearing plants. When 

 the roots and nodules finally decay, the nitrogen that has 

 been taken from the air is available for other crops that 

 follow a leguminous crop. The most common legumes are 

 the clovers, alfalfa, peas, field beans, soy beans, cowpeas, 

 and vetches. 



CLOVERS 



The clovers are the most important group of legumi- 

 nous plants. They not only add nitrogen to the soil, but 

 also furnish a large amount of humus. They are great 

 weed destroyers and are widely known as cleaning crops. 



Common Red Clover. The common red or June clover 

 is the most generally grown of all clovers, and is of great 

 importance to farmers living in the Northern States and 

 Canada. It is said to be a biennial, the seed being sown 

 one year and the crop maturing the following year. Under 

 certain favorable conditions due either to the absence of 

 severe freezing or to self-seeding the common red clover 



