HARVESTING CLOVER SEED 367 



chased feeds. Red clover contains considerably less protein 

 than alfalfa, but about the same quantity of the other 

 nutrients (Sec. 344). 



464. Harvesting the Seed Crop. The production of seed 

 is usually possible wherever clover can be grown successfully. 

 Except in the extreme northern part of the clover region, it is 

 customary to utilize the second growth for seed production, 

 because it is more likely to produce a profitable crop. In 

 order to have the seed mature in good weather and escape 

 insect pests which may be serious a little later, the first crop 

 is cut a few days earlier, when the second crop is to be cut 

 for seed, than would otherwise be done. In the North, 

 where the growing season is short, there is not time to grow 

 a crop of hay and one of seed; so the early growth is pastured 

 or clipped back till about the middle of June, and the plants 

 are then allowed to bloom and produce seed. This practice 

 is also followed to some extent where there is ample time for 

 two crops to mature, as the attacks of the clover midge and 

 other insects are averted and much larger yields of seed are 

 obtained. 



Clover seed should be cut when the heads have turned 

 brown, and the seed is in the hard dough stage. If cut 

 earlier, shriveled seed will result; while if cutting is delayed, 

 many of the heads will break off in' handling. Unless an 

 average of twenty-five or more seeds can be rubbed out of 

 the mature heads, it will not usually pay to cut the crop for 

 seed; it should be cut for hay instead. The seed crop should 

 be handled as little as possible to prevent loss of the heads. 

 The usual method is to cut with a self-rake reaper or with 

 a mower with buncher attached. Either of these imple- 

 ments places the clover behind the machine where it will not 

 be trampled by the horses on the next round. It is then put 

 into cocks for curing, and within a week or two, if the weather 



