270 CLOVERS 



agencies as birds, hay fed to teams engaged in lum- 

 bering, and the overflow of streams ; and as soon as 

 it gets a foothold its distribution is further acceler- 

 ated by the droppings of cattle which contain the 

 seeds, and by the winds. 



The power of this plant to increase is simply won- 

 derful. This is owing to: i. The relatively large, 

 number of seedheads produced from the plants. 

 2. The power which these have to multiply by means ^ 

 of rootlets from the incumbent stems, which fasten 

 into the soil. 3. The prolonged season during which 

 the heads form. 4. The habit of growth in many of 

 the heads, because of which they are not grazed 

 off. 5. The strong vitality of the seed. And 6. The 

 great hardihood of the plants. 



Pasturing. — White clover ranks next to blue 

 grass as a pasture plant within the area of its adap- 

 tation (see page 261), when its productiveness, con- 

 tinuity in growth, ability to remain in the land, 

 palatability and nutritive properties are considered 

 together. In palatability it ranks as medium only. 

 In the early part of the season while it is still tender 

 and juicy, it will be eaten by stock with avidity, 

 but as the seed-maturing season is approached, it 

 is not so highly relished. In nutrition it ranks 

 higher than medium red clover. It does not make 

 much of a showing in the early part of the season, 

 but in favorable seasons, about the time that blue 

 grass begins to fail, it grows rapidly and furnishes 

 much pasture. 



It is pre-eminently the complement of a blue-grass 

 pasture. When these grow together, the t^^'o will 



