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stock fed on it are not so liable to swelling. In pastures and, to a less extent, in meadows, 
it is used for forming »bottom grass«. When its creeping stems and foliage become too 
luxuriant, as is sometimes the case, it may act injuriously by suppressing other plants ; 
in such cases it might almost be regarded as a weed. 
Occurrence, climate. soil, manure. White clover is common throughout Europe, from Por- Geographical 
tugal to the Urals, and from Italy and Greece to Lapland. In Asia, it occurs throughout Siberia, Cau- distribution. 
casus, Georgia, and along the borders of the Caspian. In Africa, it is found in the Azores and the 
Madeiras, along the shores of the Mediterranean, and at the cape of Good Hope. It is also very common 
in North America, but, whether indigenous or naturalized, it is impossible to say. 
It occurs wild in all good pastures; if abundant, it is a certain indication of good land. It is Habitat. 
often found on roadsides along with perennial rye-grass. It is one of the principal »artificial grasses« 
of Northern Germany. 
White clover occurs at high altitudes in the Alps. By Briigger, it was found at 6000 ft. on the Limits of 
pass of Bernhardin, and by Hermann Miiller, on the Schafberg at Pontresina, at an altitude of seven altitude. 
to eight thousand feet. In the Bavarian Alps, it occurs at 5500 ft. 
White clover is much less sensitive to climate than red. Although its roots confine Climate. 
themselves mainly to the superficial layer of the soil, still, drought is borne very well, 
because the axial tap-root descends further, and absorbs water from the deeper layers. 
During a dry season, little foliage and few new branches are produced; the old branches 
do not lengthen, and the growth is confined almost entirely to the principal stem. A wet 
season favours the growth of foliage and branches, and that is why, in moist warm neigh- 
bourhoods, the yield is larger than in those which are cold and dry. 
White clover succeeds best in a moist soil containing lime and mellowed by humus. Soil. 
If very stiff, the resistance to the roots is too great, and they cannot penetrate. Still, if 
such soils are somewhat moist, the plant thrives tolerably well. It can also adapt itself 
to sandy soils, which are not too loose and dry, provided that the surface layer contains 
sufficient nutriment. It is destroyed by stagnant water, but can bear much moisture. It 
can, therefore, be grown on good moor-land and drained bogs. It can put up with a tole- 
rable amount of iron, and can be grown on ferruginous soils. Marls, loams, clays and 
sands, which are moist and contain humus, are most suitable. 
1000 Ibs. of hay remove from the soil: — 
Substances 
Nitrogen x". 4 29 Ibs, Magnesia . . . 5.9 lbs. removed from 
Phosphoric acid . 8.0 ,, Pires, ee PERO Ht BBA) 
Potash, 0 + Ue Ee -,, eee i ee a EERO os 
POURS sem al oe Se ee Sulphuric acid. . 4&7 ,, 
The large proportion of potash and lime in the hay, and the superficial root system Manure. 
of white clover, point to wood-ashes as a very beneficial and appropiate manure. 
Wood-ash, from trees with deciduous leaves contains 10 °/o potash and 30 °/o lime, wood-ash 
from pine trees contains 6 °/o potash and 35 °/) lime. 
The potash is absorbed by the superficial layer of the soil, the layer most used by while clover. 
In consequence of the application of ashes, white clover often springs up where none of it has been 
noticed before. This gave rise to the erroneous opinion, that white clover originates from wood-ashes. 
Closer observation shows that in such cases, white clover is actually present, but so small and poor, 
that if is hidden by the other plants and thus readily overlooked. When wood-ashes are added, 
growth is favoured, and the poor plants become large and well developed. 
18 
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