JAPAN CLOVER 287 



hay is allowed to approach maturity before being 

 cut, sufficient seed will fall to re-sow the land for 

 the next year's crop, but the quality of hay so ripe is 

 not so good as if cut earlier. In pastures, the graz- 

 ing must not be too close when self-seeding is 

 wanted. 



Pasturing. — ^Japan clover is much used in pro- 

 viding grazing in the South. Some writers have 

 spoken of it as being the most valuable grazing 

 plant that grows in the South. Viewed from the 

 standpoint of productiveness, this would be assign- 

 ing it too high a place, since Bermuda grass pro- 

 duces more grazing, but taking productiveness and 

 the probable influence exerted on soil fertility to- 

 gether, the estimate may be correct. The ease with 

 which Japan clover may be propagated is also a 

 strong point in its favor. 



Since it starts late in the spring, it only provides 

 grazing during the summer and autumn months, 

 from May, June or July onward, according to the 

 locality, and it fails with the appearance of the first 

 heavy frosts. In moist situations, it will furnish 

 grazing during all the summer and autumn, if not 

 allowed to seed, but in time of drought,it may wither 

 on dry, thin soils and come on again when the rains 

 of autumn begin to fall. In order to keep the graz- 

 ing tender and palatable, it should be reasonably 

 close. If allowed to mature much seed before graz- 

 ing begins, the plants will then die, to the great in- 

 jury of the grazing. 



That stock do not take kindly to it at first, as 

 they do to alfalfa and some other plants, cannot be 



