AGRICULTURAL CLOVERS 75 



irrigation. But in the event of a crop being laid on a damp 

 soil it should be promptly cut ; if left it may begin to rot at 

 the base. 



For meadows and pastures Alsike Clover is far superior to 

 White Clover, as it produces a crop tall enough for the scythe, 

 and materially adds to the total weight of hay. It also pro- 

 duces more keep and is better relished than White Clover. 

 On some soils Alsike will grow quite as much herbage as 

 Red Clover, and as the vegetation is principally composed of 

 leaves, care is requisite in the process of making hay, to pre- 

 vent them from being broken off and lost, especially as the 

 plant is more succulent than Red Clover and takes longer to 

 make into hay. 



The time of flowering approximates to that of Cow Grass, 

 and the nutritive value is highest at the flowering stage. 

 Alsike is not hasty in getting old and pithy, and renews gi-owth 

 quickly after cutting, although the total of the aftermath is 

 only equal to half the first cut. Still, the plant has a high 

 value for pastures, and is one of the best for alternate hus- 

 bandry. It flourishes in the same deep moist soil as Timothy, 

 and makes an excellent companion to that grass. With Tall 

 Oat Grass, Itahan Rye Grass, and Cocksfoot it also combines 

 well and yields excellent forage. 



For illustration, description, and chemical analysis, see 

 pages 186 and 187. 



TRIFOLIUM MINUS 

 (Yellow Suckling). 



Notwithstanding the fact that this is an annual clover and 

 the growth is very smaU, yielding but scanty produce on the 

 gravelly soils and stony land where YeUow Suckling finds 

 a congenial home, it is by no means unworthy of a place in 

 a permanent mixture. On the Greensand this plant is of 

 considerable value, forming a dense mass of herbage and seed- 

 ing itself down every year. When gi'o^\'n \^ith Rye Grass, 



