CLOVER, TRUE 



The true clovers are either perennial or annual, although many of the 

 perennial species behave as biennials and annuals because of disease, insect 

 pests, or other unfavorable environmental conditions. 



They are grown in almost every State, but in general they thrive in 

 areas with moist cool weather during some period of the growing season. 

 They make the best growth infertile soils and serve as hay, silage, pasture, 

 or conservation crops. Wide differences exist in the ability of the different 

 species to tolerate unfavorable environments and in their habits of growth, 

 flowering, and reproduction. 



Alsike Clover 



Alsike is a perennial clover, but it frequently produces only one hay 

 crop following the seeding year. It is best adapted to humid sections in the 

 northern half of the United States. Alsike is grown, however, in all sections 

 of the country. It requires a cool climate during some part of the year and 

 an abundance of moisture. It makes its best growth on moist heavy silt or 

 clay soils. It is more winter hardy than common red clover and is better 

 adapted to poorly drained, somewhat acid soils, but yields less hay. It is 

 especially suited for hay andpermanent pastures on wet, slightly sour land. 



Crimson Clover 



Crimson clover is a very important winter annual in the States south 

 of the Ohio River and east of Texas and Oklahoma, and is used in the milder 

 sections of Washington, Oregon, and California. It may also be grown as a 

 summer annual in northern Maine. It thrives in regions having cool, humid 

 weather during the winter months and where temperatures are not severe. 

 Somewhat tolerant of soil acidity, it can be grown on both clay and sandy 

 soils of moderate to high fertility. Its principal advantage in its area of 

 adaptation is its ability to produce large quantities of winter and spring 

 grazing and of seed that can be easily harvested and resown. When reseed- 

 ing varieties are left to seed naturally, a new stand develops in the fall of 

 each year. 



Dixie , Auburn, and Autauga are three very similar reseeding 

 varieties that mature slightly earlier than common crimson. Good 

 stands usually result when the plants reseed because the seeds have 

 hard coats which enable them to lie dormant until autumn, when con- 

 ditions for plant growth are favorable. Common crimson does not 

 have this characteristic. Close grazing should be avoided during 

 blooming to assure an adequate seed supply. The three varieties 

 grow well in all the States from Virginia to Florida and west to 

 Oklahoma and Texas. 



Chief and Talladega are similar to Dixie, Auburn, and Autauga, but 

 they mature 7 to 10 days later. 



Hop Clover 



The small and large hop clovers are winter annuals grown in North 

 Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and States to the south, as well as in the 



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