THECLOVERS 249 



the shock. This entails much additional work, and if weather conditions 

 are favorable a good quality of hay may be secured without resorting to 

 shocking. 



Clover hay may go into the mow or stack with 25 to 30 per cent of 

 moisture without injury. Good judgment and prompt and systematic 

 work on the part of the haymaker are necessary to secure the best results. 



The hay tedder and side-delivery rake are important adjuncts to 

 securing a good quality of clover hay, and may be considered necessities 

 where the acreage is sufficiently large to justify their purchase. 



RED CLOVER 



Red clover is a native of western Europe, and has long been cultivated 

 in North America. It is now the most important leguminous crop in the 

 Northern and North Central states and eastern Canada. While red clover 

 is grown to some extent in every state and province of the United States 

 and Canada, it is most extensively grown in those states lying north of the 

 Ohio River and east of the Missouri River. Kansas and Nebraska, how- 

 ever, produce a large acreage. The accompanying map shows the distribu- 

 tion of red clover, grown alone and with timothy, by states and provinces 

 for the United States and Canada. 



Soil and Climatic Adaptation. — Red clover is quite resistant to cold 

 and endures winters well in Nova Scotia, Maine and Minnesota. Northern 

 grown seed is, therefore, generally preferable for seeding in cold latitudes. 

 It does not do well in an extremely warm climate, and in the South succeeds 

 only when planted in the fall, and usually survives only one year. A 

 moderate to abundant rainfall is desirable. 



It is adapted to quite a wide range of soils, but makes its best growth 

 on fertile, well-drained soil well supplied with lime and organic matter and 

 reasonably free from weeds. Any soil that will grow corn successfully 

 is well adapted to red clover. It does not do well on poorly drained land. 

 On such soil alsike clover succeeds better. 



Endurance of Red Clover. — Red clover is generally considered a 

 biennial, the plants dying at the end of their second year. Some plants, 

 however, will live over for a third year and a few frequently die at the close 

 of their first year. The time of seeding and the treatment during the first 

 year doubtless influence the life of clover plants. It is a common belief 

 that if clover blooms abundantly toward the close of the first year many of 

 the plants will fail to continue their growth the following year. For this 

 reason clipping or light pasturing is advised. 



Clover on wet soil may be killed in severe winters by repeated freezing 

 and thawing. The plants will be so nearly pulled out of the soil that they 

 perish in the spring for want of moisture and plant food. If the ground is 

 deeply frozen and the surface only thaws and freezes the taproots are 

 broken. This difficulty is best overcome by a thorough drainage of the 

 soil and by providing a surface mulch. 



