70 THE BOOK OF USEFUL PLANTS 



plants that constantly renews the soil's fer- 

 tility. 



Two hundred species of the clover are known to 

 botanists. The hairy, red cloverwe know as a hay 

 and seed crop, that may be cut early for hay and 

 late for seed the same season. In pasture it 

 "runs out" in two or three years. The mammoth 

 red is an improved kind. 



This is not a bee pasture, as the white clover is, 

 because the tubes of the little flowers are too deep 

 for the honey-bee's tongue to reach the sweets. 

 The bumble-bee has a longer tongue, and by this 

 insect the pollen is carried that insures a heavy 

 yield of seed. 



The bumble-bees are very scarce in June, when 

 the red clover comes into bloom. In late summer 

 the clover fields swarm with these insects. Hence, 

 the farmer makes hay in his clover field in June, 

 cutting the succulent stems when they are in the 

 right condition to make the best hay, which is too 

 early for any seed to be ripe. In late summer he 

 sacrifices the quality of the forage to get his clover 

 seed at the time that is ripe. He owes this heavy 

 crop to the bees, though he may not know this, 

 any more than they do. 



Alsike, or Swedish clover, grows well on land too 

 wet for the red clovers, and makes superfine hay, 



