6o6 



Swedish Red Clover. 



[NOV., 



The most successful results as regards growth seem to have 

 been obtained at Armstrong College, where a small plot of 

 Swedish red clover was sown in 1906 from seed obtained by a 

 student direct from Sweden. Professor Gilchrist states that 

 in the spring of 1907 this plot was very good and had a healthy 

 appearance. When it was cut that summer the produce, 

 although satisfactory, was not as heavy as that from English. 

 Canadian, or Chilian red clover. It was mown again on 7th July, 

 1908, but was not as good as the other clovers mentioned. 

 The sample supplied by the Board was sown in the spring of 

 1907 both in the college garden on a loamy soil and at Cockle 

 Park on a light sandy soil. In the college garden, this was the 

 only red clover among nine that were sown in the spring of 

 1907 that stood the winter of 1907-8. All these clovers were 

 quite healthy till February, but with the exception of Swedish 

 red clover they succumbed to the cold wet spring. During the 

 summer it made a very good growth. 



At Cockle Park, this clover was also sown alongside eight 

 others in the spring of 1907. On 27th April, 1908, it had a 

 thick and bulky covering of herbage, and compared favourably 

 with the other varieties, nearly all of which looked well. They 

 were all cut on nth July, 1908, and the Swedish clover gave 

 the heaviest cutting. 



As regards resistance to disease, a trial which was definitely 

 directed to this point was made at the Midland Agricultural 

 College by Mr. F. Wakerley, Lecturer in Agriculture. Two 

 beds of Swedish red clover were sown in the college garden, 

 one of these beds being treated with soil obtained by digging 

 up dead or dying plants from a " clover sick " field. The other 

 plot was untreated. In addition similar plots of English red 

 clover, Chilian red clover, Lincolnshire grown red clover, and 

 cow grass were laid down for comparison. 



All these were sown in the spring, and a good " plant " 

 was obtainecl. The Swedish variety was characterised by the 

 smallness of the foliage and the close strong crowns of the 

 plants in winter. The beds were inspected from time to time, 

 but it was not until April, 1908, when growth had commenced 

 that disease became evident. At that time new Sclerotia were 

 obtained from the Chilian, Lincolnshire grown, and English 

 red clover. The two Swedish beds and the cow grass appeared 



