VASTURE> OR FORAGE, AND SOILING CROPS 273 



Colts may be pastured on alfalfa, but it is probably not profit- 

 able in the corn-belt, although it may be so farther west. 



Mammoth clover is a valuable pasture and soihng crop, 

 being equal to red clover. If not pastured too heavily in 

 the spring, it may be cut later for hay. 



White and alsike clovers are occasionally used as pasture 

 crops, but usually with timothy or bluegrass, as they add 

 materially to the feeding value of either of the latter crops. 

 In feeding value they are equal to red clover. White clover 

 is said to cause excessive " slobbering " in horses. It is 

 claimed by some horsemen that wet alsike poisons the 

 noses, faces, and legs of white-faced and white-legged horses. 

 It is very doubtful if this is true, however. 



Sweet Clover. — Being one of the legumes, sweet clover 

 is rich in protein and mineral matter. It makes excellent 

 pasture for horses, sheep, cattle, and hogs. Its feeding value 

 is about the same as that of red clover. It is said that it is 

 not as liable to cause bloat as red clover or alfalfa. 

 Ordinarily, stock dislike the taste of it at first, but by creat- 

 ing an appetite for it by turning them in early in the spring 

 before other green feed has been started, they soon learn to 

 relish it. It should be pastured heavily enough to keep it 

 eaten down closely, so that there will be an abundance of 

 fresh shoots for grazing purposes at all times, as animals 

 dislike the hard, woody stems which contain ihe bitter 

 tasting substance, cumarin ; clipping with the mower from 

 time to time will answer the same purpose. An acre of sweet 

 clover often will support 15 to 20 hogs. They should be 

 " rung," however, to prevent them from injuring the roots. 

 After a few years sweet clover usually dies out ^nd is sup- 

 planted by bluegrass. 



