SWEET CLOVERS 

The White Blossom Biennial variety is the most common type and in the 
greatest demand. It will grow in almost any climate and on almost any type 
of soil, thriving on land too poor for Alfalfa or Red Clover. It is a biennial, 
pe eee 4 at the end of the second season, unless allowed to go to seed and 
itself. 
White Blossom fits very well into the rotation scheme and may be sown 
with corn at the time of cutivation or following a crop of winter grain. 
As hay or green forage, it ranks with alfalfa in feeding value. At first stock 
seldom like it, but soon develop a preference for it, providing it is cut before 
it reaches the blossom stage when it becomes woody. On account of its heavy 
and deep spreading root system and its ability as a nitrogen gatherer when 
inoculated, as a soil improver, it stands at the top of the list for use on poor soil. 
Although Sweet Clover will grow on 
thin, poor soil, deficient in organic 
matter, even thrive on sand, it does 
require lime. 
Before attempting to grow a crop 
of Sweet Clover for any purpose, 
the soil should be tested and lime 
applied if needed. Like other Le- 
gumes, it does not store nitrogen 
unless it is inoculated with the 
right strain of bacteria, so Sweet 
Clover should always be _ inocu- 
lated before it is sown. 
_If seeded alone, as is the usual prac- 
tice, the land should be prepared in 
the same way as for any standard 
farm crop. The seed may be sown like 
Red Clover with winter or spring 
grain, or alone, either in early spring 
or mid-summer. Sow fifteen to twen- 
ty pounds of seed per acre. 
It provides a large quantity of for- 
age of high feeding value. It reaches 
the grazing stage quickly, and is ben- 
efited by close pasturing. If sown 
alone in early spring, the pasture will 
be ready about June list. The more 
stock you turn in on it the better, for 
close grazing encourages the produc- 
tion of a constant supply of small, ten- 
der shoots. If the plants grow so fast 
that they cannot be kept pastured 
down they become coarse and unpal- 
atable; should this occur, it is best to 
go over the field with a mower, set- 
ting the knife to cut about 8 inches 
high. Take stock off about six weeks 
before frost in the fall of the season. 
The following spring the second year’s 
growth comes on very quicky and 
stock may be turned in as_- soon as it 
is well under way. If a crop of hay 
or seed is wanted, do not pasture after 
the middle of June or the list of July. 
Tf it is desired to have the Sweet 
Clover reseed itself, remove the stock 
about two months before frost. 
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