462 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 
rapid growth during the late season and starts early 
in spring. 
It is easily established if sown in late July or 
August. It will not endure heat so is of no use 
sown in the spring. It grows during cool weather. 
On the other hand it will not endure extremely 
cold weather, and is usually killed by repeated freez- 
ing and thawing of spring in the region of the corn- 
belt. It is especially at home in Maryland, Dela- 
ware, New Jersey, Virginia, and in fact all along 
the Atlantic seaboard. There it is an admirable 
catch crop and forerunner of alfalfa when one is 
desirous of bringing in large areas to meadow with 
least possible delay. 
Roberts ‘shows that the fall growth of crimson 
clover in New York, taken on Nov. 2, yielded as 
much as 155 Ibs. of nitrogen per acre and doubt- 
less the spring growth would have yielded in ad- 
dition even a greater amount had not the plants 
killed out during the freezes of spring. Nitrogen is 
difficult to buy for less than 15 cents per pound and 
often costs much more, so it is clear that the crim- 
son clover had done a lot of work at nitrogen-gath- 
ering very economically indeed. 
Using Crimson Clover.—A good way to use crim- 
son clover is to sow it in the corn at last working, 
or to disk up an oat or wheat stubble and sow it 
there. The latter way will give sure results. Use 
phosphorus in some form to stimulate the crimson 
clover, since the better it thrives the more it will 
do for you and all will be kept in the soil for the 
