GROWING LEGUMES IN DRY AREAS 327 



The seed crop is ready for harvesting when the 

 heads have nearly all assumed a reddish brown hue. They 

 are so ripe when they become black that they are much 

 liable to break off in the curing process. The seed crop 

 is harvested in much the same way as alfalfa (see p. 319). 

 If the huller cannot be had for threshing clover it should 

 be run through the separator twice in order to get all 

 the seed. The probable yields of seed in the dry areas 

 cannot be given definitely yet. 



GROWING SAINFOIN 



Experience in growing sainfoin in the semi-arid 

 areas of the west is somewhat limited, so much so that 

 facts regarding its growth under dry conditions are al- 

 most entirely wanting. It would seem probable, how- 

 ever, that sainfoin will fill a not unimportant place in 

 providing food for live stock, both as hay and pasture in 

 the semi-arid west. Sainfoin is a plant of the clover 

 family. It is more branched in habit of growth than 

 clover and attains a greater height. It furnishes two 

 cuttings of hay in humid areas or one cutting of hay 

 and one of seed, but under dry conditions it may not 

 probably furnish more than one cutting. It is a good pas- 

 ture plant, since it does not produce bloat as alfalfa does. 

 It furnishes pasture quite as early as alfalfa and is 

 probably as continuous and persistent in its habit of 

 growth. It has a pink blossom which deepens into a 

 crimson, so that a field of sainfoin has a beautiful 

 appearance when it is in early blossom. One of the 

 greatest difficulties encountered in growing sainfoin is 

 the relatively low vitality of the seed. Because of this 

 the stands obtained from sainfoin seed are not as com- 

 plete as could be desired. To prevent such an occur- 

 rence large quantities of seed should be sown. 



Soils. -While sainfoin will grow on a variety of soils, 

 it has pre-eminent adaptation for soils that are rich in 



