232 CLOVERS 



clover has grown so rankly tliat the lodged clover 

 killed nearly all the plants by excluding the air from 

 the roots. When grown on soils that in a normal 

 season produce a rank growth, the quality of the hay 

 will, in nearly all instances, be improved by graz- 

 ing. This, however, should be done soon after the 

 growth begins and should not be long continued, 

 and it should be close, in order to promote even- 

 ness and uniformity in the growth of the hay 

 crop. 



When grown for seed, mammoth clover is quite 

 frequently pastured. In fact, in a majority of in- 

 stances it is either pastured or cut with the mower 

 when a seed crop is wanted. The pasturing usually 

 continues until June ist, but in some instances it is 

 prolonged far on into June. The duration of the 

 pasturing season should be gauged largely by the 

 character of the soil and weather. The better the 

 conditions for growth in the plants, the longer may 

 the pasturing be continued, and vice versa. There 

 are also conditions in which such pasturing may not 

 be necessary. But when the grazing is not close, 

 the mower should be run over the field, otherwise 

 the seeds will not ripen evenly. 



There is the same danger from bloating that is 

 present when pasturing medium red clover. (See 

 page 94.) To avoid this danger, cattle that are 

 being thus pastured are in some instances given ac- 

 cess to cured clover hay. In other instances the 

 haulm of the seed is left in the field so that the 

 cattle have access to it. But the second season of 

 grazing, the danger from bloat is not so great as 



