BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL AND BIG TREFOIL 7 



both good yields and satisfactory quality can be attained by the use 

 of locally adapted combinations. 



In New York timothy, orchard grass, red clover, alsike clover, and 

 birdsfoot trefoil in mixtures have given good results. In western 

 Oregon both big' trefoil and birdsfoot trefoil have been satisfactorily 

 grown in combination with bentgrass, red clover, timothy, and 

 perennial ryegrass. In European countries mixtures of meadow 

 fescue, Bromus erectus Hucls., and birdsfoot trefoil have been grown 

 successfully. Mixtures must be adapted to local conditions, and the 

 best proportion of the different grasses and legumes will vary (fig. 2). 



SEEDING 



Experimental results and experience of growers have indicated that 

 stands of both birdsfoot trefoil and big trefoil are sometimes difficult 

 to obtain. More difficulty has been experienced with big trefoil than 

 with birdsfoot trefoil but both need careful handling. A thorough 

 preparation and firming of the seedbed seems to be essential. Shallow 

 planting is also important. The seed should be covered as lightly as 

 possible and still insure enough moisture for germination. Broadcast 

 seeding and rolling to press the seed into the soil and firm the seed- 

 bed, so that moisture will be near the surface and in contact with the 

 seed, is perhaps the safest method to follow. 



In the northeastern United States seeding should be made from 

 midsummer to early fall. Late-fall seedings may winter-kill. Spring 

 seeding is less desirable, as the seedling plants of both birdsfoot trefoil 

 and big trefoil grow very slowly and spring weeds offer too much 

 competition. In the northwestern United States both east and west 

 of the Cascade Mountains the best time for seeding is from April 1 

 to May 15, depending on latitude and seasonal conditions. 



When seeding alone and a full stand is desired, birdsfoot trefoil 

 should be seeded at from 8 to 12 pounds of good seed per acre and 

 big trefoil 4 to 6 pounds per acre. In mixtures with grasses these 

 figures can be greatly reduced. In New York some growers use but 

 1 pound of birdsfoot trefoil in a general mixture when the field is to 

 be left down for a term of years. With time the stand of birdsfoot 

 trefoil thickens and displaces some of the other plants in the mixture. 



HARVESTING FOR FORAGE 



Birdsfoot trefoil can be harvested and handled with ordinary farm 

 machinery and is commonly cut with a mower and raked and handled 

 as clover or alfalfa. Thin stands can be raked and handled quickly, 

 but heavier stands require some time for proper diying. 



In cooperative experimental plantings at the Michigan Agricultural 

 Experiment Station, yields of hay were obtained amounting to 2 tons 

 per acre for the first cutting and 1 ,500 pounds for the second. Lime, 

 phosphate, and potash were applied to these plots and no doubt 

 increased the yield, but on poor, badly eroded, nearby areas receiving- 

 only lime, good growth had been made. In cooperation with the 

 Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, plantings at one of the sub- 

 stations in southern Illinois yielded 3.81 tons dry weight per acre in 

 \ 1929. These plantings were established in 1927. 



