42 THE BOOK OF CORN 



harrowed once with the ordinary floating harrow and 

 the clover seeded, after which it is harrowed again 

 crosswise of the previous harrowing. This method of 

 preparing the seedbed provides a firm soil for the 

 growth of the oats, which is to be desired, and also 

 gets the ground into the best possible shape for the 

 growth of the clover crop. In such cases the oats 

 should be seeded medium to thin, as a very dense 

 growth of oats would interfere with the growth of the 

 clover crop. With the ordinary varieties of oats, a 

 seeding of one and one-half to two bushels of well- 

 cleaned seed is sufficient. This will give a good crop 

 of oats, protect the clover and not interfere with the 

 growth of the plants. 



In this way a stand of clover can be secured with- 

 out losing a crop from the field, an important con- 

 sideration to the ordinary farmer. The clover seed is 

 small and consequently contains little plant food. 

 Therefore it must be seeded shallow in order that the 

 young plants may reach the surface, yet deep enough 

 to get sufficient moisture for the best germination. It 

 is extremely difficult to get good clover seed. Very 

 frequently the vitality of the seed has been injured by 

 cutting too early or by improper harvesting and drying. 

 If the seed is moist it is liable to heat, an injurious 

 process to the vitality of the seed. 



Clover seed is very likely to be mixed with nox- 

 ious weed seed. This weed seed is often of such a size 

 and shape that it is impossible, or at any rate difficult, 

 to separate it from the clover seed. For instance, 

 buckhorn grows very much like the clover plant and 

 matures seed about the same time. The seed is about 

 the same diameter as the clover seed, and boat-shaped. 

 In screening the clover seed these boat-shaped buck- 

 horn seeds tip up and go through the clover screen, 

 making it necessary to secure special cleaners. Other 



