4 LEAFLET 119, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



clover behavior, and there is reason to believe that management 

 may be a factor of equal importance in this country. In England, 

 pastures which are well supplied with mineral fertilizers and kept 

 closely grazed or cut maintain continuous stands of white clover. 

 Similar management of several pastures in Xew York has been suc- 

 cessful in the maintenance of white clover, but whether this method 

 has a wide adaptation in the United States remains to be proved. 



Seedbed Preparation and Seeding 



Except for seed production, white clover is usually planted with 

 grass either in new seedings or on an established turf. When 

 new seedings are made in the spring, white clover is mixed with the 

 grass seed and the entire mixture sown at one time. Occasionally 

 grass seedings are made in the fall, followed by the seeding of white 

 clover early in the spring. Fall seeding of while clover is not recom- 

 mended unless soil and climatic conditions are such as to induce 

 early and rapid growth before cold weather arrives. Regardless of 

 the time of seeding, the seedbed should be well compacted to facili- 

 tate the establishment of the young clover seedlings. This may be 

 accomplished by rolling the soil, preferably with a corrugated roller. 

 When the seedbed is being made, liberal applications of limestone, 

 phosphate, and potash fertilizers should be applied. The seed 

 may be broadcast and, if sown early in the spring, the covering of 

 the seed may be left to the natural action of the alternate freezing 

 and thawing of the soil. If it is seeded later in the season it may 

 be advisable to stir the soil surface lightly to cover the seed. If 

 Avhite clover is to be seeded on turf it is advisable to have the grass 

 short and kept in such a condition until the clover has become 

 established. 



Usually 2 to 5 pounds of seed per acre or 1 to 3 ounces per 1,000 

 square feet will produce an excellent stand, especially with seed 

 germinating 95 percent including the hard seed. Inoculation of the 

 seed is generally not necessary. 



Diseases and Insects 



White clover seldom becomes diseased. Occasionally, stem rot 

 (Sclerotinia trifoliorum Ericks.) is responsible for a thinning of 

 plants, although no reports have been received indicating that en- 

 tire stands have been killed. Irregular brownish spots often oc- 

 curring on white clover leaves are caused by several organisms. 

 These diseases seldom kill the plant but when numerous reduce the 

 quality of the forage. 



During late spring and summer, leafhopper (Emposaca fab as 

 Harr.) infestations cause a reddening and marginal browning of 

 white clover leaves. Many young leaves are killed outright. The 

 growth becomes stunted, and many plants are undoubtedly killed. 

 With the advent of cool, moist weather the surviving plants recover. 

 Ladino clover is particularly susceptible to leafhopper injury. 



A grayish, mottled appearance of the leaves of white clover may 

 be caused by the feeding of a minute black bug. the garden flea 

 hopper {Halticus oitri Ashm.). This bug sucks up the sap as food, 

 is widely distributed, and occasionally is seriously injurious to all 

 varieties of white clover. 



