268 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



of its stems and its perennial character makes possible 

 its rapid increase when once seeded, even though only a 

 few seeds may be dropped at first. White clover is less 

 sensitive to climate than red or alsike clover, and has a 

 much wider distribution. It grows on almost all soils, 

 but thrives best on moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It 

 does not grow well on soils deficient in lime or extremely 

 lacking in fertility. When white clover grows abundantly 

 in fields or along the roadside, this fact is usually taken as 

 an indication of a productive soil. White clover does 

 not grow tall enough to be of value as hay. It finds its 

 greatest usefulness in mixtures for permanent pastures 

 and parks and lawns. It is well adapted for growing with 

 blue grass, and together they make the finest of pasture 

 and the most beautiful lawns in parks and yards. In the 

 South it grows well with Bermuda grass, both plants re- 

 maining green throughout the winter in the extreme South. 

 269. White clover is found in almost all of the perma- 

 nent pastures of England and Europe, where it is highly 

 regarded. It is seldom seeded alone, except when grown 

 for seed, but usually is seeded with other legumes and 

 grasses. In eastern Wisconsin it is seeded with barley in 

 the rotation and it is in this section that most of the seed 

 is produced. Because of the small size of the seeds, and 

 the tendency of the plant to spread by runners, the rate 

 of seeding is comparatively light. When seeded in mix- 

 tures for pastures, 2 pounds of seed per acre are sufficient 

 for a good stand. For the seeding of lawns, the rate 

 should be increased to 4 to 6 pounds per acre. No per- 

 manent pasture in the blue grass sections is complete with- 

 out the presence of white clover, and in almost all seed 

 mixtures for permanent pastures, white clover may well 

 be included. 



