56 PASTURE PLANTS AND PASTURES OF N.Z. 



small, heart-shaped ; the midrib not produced into a spike 

 sticking from the niche of the heart ; flowers in small heads, 

 yellow. 



Although rarely sown this is a very valuable Clover, 

 often forming the bottom of thin pastures on dry land, and 

 affording one of our best examples of a " volunteer." It 

 seeds itself with great freedom and the seed will pass through 

 sheep uninjured, so that once in a field this plant will recur 

 whenever the weather conditions are favourable. It gives 

 a fair bite in Spring and Autumn, dying down in Winter 

 and in the heat of Summer. It is almost universally dis- 

 tributed where grasses and clovers have been sown, because 

 its seed occurs as a common impurity in that of White Clover. 

 Wherever Little Trefoil is found to be absent from permanent 

 pastures on poor and light land, such as that of the sheep 

 runs of the South Island, it should be surface sown. Two 

 to four ounces per acre would be enough. The seed is on 

 the market, and in normal times sells at about 4d. per pound. 



Strawberry Clover {Trifolium fragiferum) . — Much like 

 White Clover in leaves and habit of growth, but the 

 leaflets are a true oval instead of being heart-shaped or 

 narrower at the base. It has the same kind of stolons as 

 White Clover has. When in seed the heads become swollen 

 and compact, then looking much like a strawberry. 



Strawberry Clover is quite as valuable as White Clover, 

 and indeed may be depended upon to retain its position in a 

 pasture much more constantly than White Clover will. It 

 has, however, the great disadvantage that its seed is very 

 difficult to harvest and thresh, and is therefore seldom on 

 the market. When it can be obtained by purchase or by 

 hand picking it should be used for permanent pasture on 

 medium lands. 



Subterranean Clover {Trifolium suhterraneum). — A rather 

 small prostrate annual, clothed with long spreading hairs ; 



