112 CLOVERS 



The roots also put large quantiiies of humus in 

 the soil. Where crops are regularly grown in short 

 rotations they will suffice to keep it amply supplied 

 for ordinary production. Because of this it is usu- 

 ally considered more profitable to cut both the crops 

 which medium red clover produces in one season, or 

 to pasture off one or both, than to plow under either 

 as green manure. But when soils are too stiff or 

 too open in character it may be advantageous to bury 

 clover to restore the equilibrium. It may also be 

 necessary to bury an occasional crop in order to put 

 the land quickly in a condition to produce some de- 

 sired crop, the growth of which calls for large sup- 

 plies of humus. When clover is plowed under it will 

 usually be found more profitable to bury the second 

 growth of the season than the first. The crop is in 

 the best condition for being plowed under when the 

 plants are coming into bloom. If left until the stems 

 lose their succulence the slow decay following in 

 conjunction with the bulkiness of the mass plowed 

 under might prove harmful to the crop following the 

 clover. The influence of the roots upon the mechan- 

 ical condition of the soil is most beneficial. The 

 roots go down deep into the subsoil and also abound 

 in fibrous growth. The tap roots in their decay fur- 

 nish openings through which the superfluous water 

 may go down into the subsoil. The fibers adhering 

 to the main roots so ramify through the soil that 

 when even stiff land is filled with them it is ren- 

 dered friable, and is consequently brought into a 

 good mechanical condition. 



While all varieties of clover may be utilized in 



