232 



FARM CROPS 



proved variety with seeds about J4 inch long, black 

 in color or with brownish stripes. The heads run 

 from IS to 20 inches in diameter. It is one of the 

 best varieties for the production of oil. 



Black Giant, another popular variety, has heads 

 ranging from 15 to 20 inches in diameter. The 

 seeds are not quite as long and are black in color. 

 A silage mixture known as Robertson's mixture is 

 a mixture of sunflower heads, horse beans and corn, 

 in the proportion of two acres of corn and beans 

 to one-half acre of sunflowers. This mixture, al- 

 though much publicity was given it a few years ago, 

 has not come into use in this country. The sun- 

 flower has a narrow field of usefulness; if grown 

 at all on most farms, it will be for a limited supply 

 of poultry feed. 



SWEET CLOVER.— A strong, vigorous grow- 

 ing biennial. It is branched and upright in its 

 habit of growth. It is one of the most hardy plants 

 of the clover family. When once firmly rooted it 

 has great power to withstand drouth and heat, and 

 it can also endure low temperatures. Being a 

 ravenous feeder it is able to maintain itself in soils 

 too poor to sustain other species of the clover 

 family. It is a legume and one which has much 

 power to renovate soils. A plant, therefore, which 

 is possessed of such powers should not be looked 

 upon as worthless. It has not been much grown 

 for pasture, but for such use it may yet prove to 

 be of value. When sheep, for instance, have 

 access to a variety of grasses they usually pass 

 sweet clover by, even when it is young and ten- 

 der. But if confined to such a pasture when it 

 first begins to grow they soon begin to crop 

 it down. 



