and clover crop, a good stand can be secured by sowing clover alone. 

 The ground should be plowed deep during the fall and the seed sown as 

 early as possible in the spring. Unless the early summer is very dry 

 a good crop can be secured the first season. 



Clover seed should be planted if possible in moist soil from one-half 

 to an inch deep. 



Varieties 



The most common varieties are Red Clover, Crimson Clover, Mam- 

 moth and Alsike. 



Common Red Clover 



has been a favorite for many generations. Because of its extensive 

 root system, it furnishes a large amount of humus and nitrogen in 

 addition to greatly improving the physical condition of the soil. The 

 roots loosen compact earth making it more permeable and very easy 

 to till. 



After clover has been grown on land, water and air are more freely 

 admitted and the roots of other crops penetrate deeper. If conditions 

 are favorable, red clover produces two good crops in a season and in 

 some localities three. The second crop is usually cut for seed. If the 

 farmer will use a header in harvesting clover for seed, he can then plow 

 under all of the plant food elements consumed in making the plant 

 except a very small per cent in the heads. If the clover hulls are spread 

 on land, they not only fertilize the soil but inoculate it with the 

 required bacteria. Quite often it has been found that one field on a 

 farm will contain the required bacteria, while another field is barren. 



Amount of Seed to Sow 



It requires about fifteen pounds of seed to sow one acre broadcast. 

 If drilled a less amount is sufficient. It is a good plan to test the seed 

 before it is sown. If a hundred grains are taken indiscriminately and 

 tested, by knowing the number which germinates, it can be easily deter- 

 mined whether or 'not the amount as stated should be increased or 

 decreased. 



Mammoth Clover 



This variety resembles red clover, except it is coarser and yields 

 heavier. It is better adapted to wet lands than the red variety. The 

 Mammoth blossoms later than the red, hence it is better to mix with 

 timothy and other grasses than varieties which blossom earlier. On 

 account of the heavy growth it makes, the second crop is often used 

 for green manuring. If the second crop is very heavy and the land is 

 deficient in phosphorus, the soil will be greatly improved by distrib- 

 uting four or five hundred pounds of raw rock phosphate per acre before 

 the crop is plowed under. The process of decomposition which takes 



