BURR CLOVER 293 



of horses than of other animals. Being a legume, 

 it is helpful in enriching the land, and being a free 

 grower, it improves the soil mechanically through 

 its root growth, and also through the stems and 

 leaves, when these are plowed under. 



Distribution. — Burr clover is said to be native 

 to Europe and North Africa, but not to North 

 America, although it has shown high adaptation in 

 adapting itself to conditions as found in the latter. 



Although this plant is hardy in the South, and, 

 as previously stated, makes most of its growth in 

 the winter, it is not sufficiently hardy to endure the 

 winters far northward. Its highest adaptation is 

 found in States around the Gulf of Mexico. It also 

 grows with more or less vigor as far north 

 as North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas. For 

 these States its adaptation is, on the whole, higher 

 than crimson clover, although where the latter will 

 grow readily it is considered the valuable plant of 

 the two. 



For Canada, burr clover has no mission, owing 

 to the sternness of the winter climate in that coun- 

 try. 



Soils. — While burr clover will grow with more 

 or less success on almost any kind of soil possessed 

 of a reasonable amount of fertility and moisture, it 

 is much better adapted to soils alluvial in character 

 and moist, as, for instance, the deposit soils in the 

 bottom of rivers. Its power to fight the battle of 

 existence on poor lands is much less than that of 

 Japan clover, but on soils that grow crops, such as 

 corn or cotton, it may be made to render ^ service 



