FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION 155 



average period of 1.7 months; 63 of an acre supported a 

 cow during this time. 



Twenty-one farmers reported on pasturing sweet clover 

 the second year. Upon 266 acres, or an average of 13 acres 

 per farm, they pastured 388 cows or 1.46 head per acre for 

 an average period of 3.9 months; .69 of an acre supported 

 a cow. 



When sweet clover was sown with small grain in the 

 spring and pastured that fall and the following year, the 

 one seeding of sweet clover furnished pasture for the cows 

 for an average of 5.6 months. The 21 farmers turned out 

 on an average April 29. They took the cows off on the- 

 average August 26 (3.9 months). By this time the grovd:h 

 of new clover in the stubble would be large enough to turn 

 upon and it would carry the cows for 1.7 months. Thus the 

 old and new crops would give a total of 5.6 months pasture 

 in one season. These reports show that less than three- 

 fourths of an acre of sweet clover was required to pasture 

 a cow 5.G months. 



The milk flow was well maintained in nearly every case 

 and increased in many with only a small amount of other 

 feed given in a few cases. 



From this data and the writer's own experience, it 

 seems conservative to say that seven-eighths of an acre of 

 sweet clover, including the fall pasture the first year sown, 

 will support a cow six months. 



In addition to the above, seven men reported on pas- 

 turing first year sweet clover sown alone : 53.5 acres pastur- 

 ing 76 cows, or 1.4 head per acre for an average period of 

 3.5 months. But as this manner of seeding displaces an- 

 other crop the first year, it is not economical and cannot 

 be recommended under ordinary circumstances. 



The best way to keep a continuous supply of sweet 

 clover pasture is to seed it each year in small grain because 

 the sweet clover in the stubble makes an excellent pasture 

 for two months in the fall. The second year crop makes 

 excellent pasture for four months the following year, start- 

 ing early in the spring. When the second year pasture is 



