ARTIFICIAL EESEEDIXG OX WESTERN MOUXTAIX RANGE LANDS 23 



other forage plants, such as Kentucl^y bluegrass, make better gro^Yth 

 where sweetclover is present than when grown alone. 



Although not as vet tried out extensively in experimental range 

 reseeding, indications are that white sweetclover might do well 

 under favorable western range conditions. Some stirring of the 

 soil to get the seed covered is ordinarily essential for success in 

 sowing white sweetclover, although sowing on sod ground has 

 been done successfully in Montana {16). Hulbert {12) reports 

 that a satisfactory stand usually can be obtained on dry slopes in 

 Idaho by harrowing or disking in the early spring and broadcast- 

 ing a few pounds of sweetclover seed to the acre, or by scattering 

 seed when the soil is '* honeycombed '' in the early spring. 



YELLOW SWEETCLOVER 



Until comparatively recently yellow sweetclover {Melilotus offici- 

 nalis) was relatively little used. Recent studies, however, especially 

 at the Montana and Colorado Agricultural Experiment Stations, 

 have greatly enhanced the popularity of yellow sweetclover, and in 

 those two States at least it is considered to give better results under 

 dry farming than the white-flowered species {lo., 16). The reasons 

 for this preference are that yellow sweetclover has a finer texture than 

 white sweetclover, is less stemmy, more leafy, matures a week or two 

 earlier, and has ordinarily a greater spread which results in the 

 production of more pods and more satisfactory perpetuation. 



Yellow (as well as white) sweetclover has become naturalized on 

 some western ranges but until very recently has rarely been sown 

 artificially, partly because of a general feeling that livestock do not 

 care much for it. 



With yellow sweetclover, as with white sweetclover, some tilling of 

 the soil is essential to get the seed covered. 



Sweetclover, especially yellow sweetclover, has obvious advantages 

 for forage. Among these are its great size and abundant leafage, 

 rapid growth, large seed crop, vigor and ability to withstand heavy 

 use, aggressiveness, very early growth, and tolerance of heat, 

 drought, and poor soils. In addition, sweetclover is almost un- 

 equalled for soil nitrate enrichment and is a famous beeplant. The 

 Colorado Agricultural College reports that sweetclover on nonirri- 

 gated farm lands in that State has been carrying from one to two 

 head of mature cattle per acre for five to six months. 



TOOTHED BUE CLO\'ER 



This aggressive winter annual {Medicago his-pida) is abundant 

 and is an excellent spring forage on plains and foothills of western 

 California, where it was accidentally introduced years ago. Its 

 nutritive qualities are not much inferior to those of alfalfa, and, 

 while its taste is somewhat bitter, livestock soon learn to relish it. 

 The species may have promise in other regions of the West having 

 the mild winter temperatures and other growth conditions character- 

 istic of the California habitats where it thrives. Livestock relish 

 all varieties. Typical toothed bur clover, because of the spininess 

 of its pods, is more easily disseminated by livestock than the 

 smoother-fruited forms, but since the value of the fleece is reduced 



