THE BUR CLOVERS 407 



not require inoculation to produce alfalfa. Sweet clover, 

 however, will probably grow on soils and in climates where 

 alfalfa will not succeed. 



524. Culture. When it is desired to grow sweet clover on 

 poor soil to improve it, the seed is sown in the spring at the 

 rate of about 15 pounds to the acre, and harrowed in. In the 

 South, it can be sown after an early crop is harvested. If the 

 plants are plowed under the following spring before blossom- 

 ing, there will be no difficulty in eradiacting it, but if it is al- 

 lowed to seed it is likely to give trouble. The seed is quite 

 similar to that of alfalfa, and sometimes it is used as an adul- 

 terant. 



THE BUR CLOVERS 



525. The bur clovers are closely related to alfalfa, belong- 

 ing to the same genus, Medicago, but are annual instead of 

 perennial. They are low-growing plants with yellow flowers 

 and prickly pods. The common species are Medicago macu- 

 lata or spotted medic, and Medicago denticulata or toothed 

 medic. Both species grow in the South, though the spotted 

 medic is more common. The toothed medic is grown in 

 California. 



526. Use as Winter Pasture. A common practice in the 

 South is to sow bur clover on Bermuda grass pasture in the 

 fall. About the time the Bermuda grass is killed by frost, 

 the bur clover begins to grow; in mild seasons it grows 

 throughout the winter. It furnishes good pasture during the 

 late fall and early spring months, and if allowed to produce 

 seed, will reseed itself and appear again the following fall. 

 In this way, a permanent pasture is assured. As the bur 

 clover adds nitrogen to the soil, the growth becomes heavier 

 from year to year. 



