68 CLOVERS 



ing. The loss from this source in such lands varies 

 from nothing at all to lOO per cent. 



Nearly, if not equal to the farmer, are dark loam 

 soils with a gravel or sand drainage underneath, 

 providing, first, that the sand and gravel do not 

 come too near the surface, and second, that the nor- 

 mal rainfall is sufficient. On such soils it seldom 

 fails to grow, is not liable to heave in the winter or 

 spring, and usually produces excellent crops when 

 these soils are properly tilled. It has special adap- 

 tation for being grown on calcareous or limy soils. 

 It also, usually, grows well on soils underlaid with 

 yellow clay of more or less tenacity. 



The black humus soils of the prairie vary much 

 in their suitability for growing medium red clover. 

 Much depends on the clay content in such soils. The 

 more of this element in them and the nearer an un- 

 derlying clay subsoil is to the surface, the better will 

 this clover grow on them. In large areas of the 

 prairie, red clover will grow more successfully on 

 the subsoil when laid bare than when on the surface 

 soil. It has been the experience in many instances 

 that when the humus soils of 1 he prairie, porous and 

 spongy in character, were first tilled, clover grew on 

 them so shyly that it was difficult to get a good stand 

 of the same until it had been sown for several sea- 

 sons successively or at intervals. Eventually, good 

 crops were grown on these lands, and are now being 

 grown on them. This was the experience that faced 

 a majority of the first settlers on the prairie where 

 excellent crops are now being grown, and it is 

 the experience which faces many to-day, who are 



