THE ROMANCE OF EVERIFARM 



A SUMMER IN A CLOVER FIELD 



rriHE first story of this volume tells of the life 



history of Red Clover who, as a small seed, 



with millions of others, was sown with the spring 



wheat in one of Farmer Good's big fields. The 



clover was sown in this field because, by analysis, it 



had been discovered that the soil was lacking in 



nitrogen, and Farmer Good knew that the clover 



plant was the fellow who could supply this most 



necessary element of plant food. The tiny clover 



seed, coming in contact with the moisture of the 



soil, soon germinated, and at once sent down two 



tap roots to gather the moisture and the plant food 



which was to build the plant that would eventually 



restore the fertility to the big farm. The heavy 



freeze of April was quite disastrous to several of the 



young plants, but this seed, being well covered and 



having gained a good start, survived along with the 



great majority. Owing to the rapid growth of the 



wheat and the crowding of enemy weeds, such as 



plantain, ribbon grass, foxtail, and others, the growth 



11 



