White clover (T. repens, Linn.) (Figs. 336, 337) is a low creeping perennial, bearing its small fragrant white heads on slender peduncles that spring directly from the stem that roots along the surface of the ground ; leaves long-stalked, the leaflets obcordate and more or less small-toothed. Useful for pasture, and for bees, and prized by many on lawns.
White clover thrives in cool climates, or the cool part of the year, and on lands that are retentive of moisture. It is very hardy, and it spreads rapidly when once established. It with stands grazing well, and is prized for pastures in those regions and on those lands that are adapted to it. It is rarely sown as a meadow plant for hay, but it often works into moist mead ows, making excellent "bottom." It is often sown in pastures. It should be sown very early, so that it may become established before warm weather. About ten to twelve pounds of seed is sown to the acre. On lawns, twice or more than this quantity may be sown if one is fond of the plant. For seed purposes, as much as four pounds may be sown ; the yield of seed will range from two and one-half to six bushels per acre.
The Ladino clover, mentioned on page 75, is a variety of white clover (var. latus) much grown in mountain valleys of Italy, especially under irri gation. It is distinguished from the ordinary white clover by having much larger leaflets and taller stems, yielding about twice as much at each cutting. It is said to be the chief forage and hay crop of a large part of the irrigated regions of the Po valley, in which region it is reputed to out yield alfalfa and to make a better crop of hay. Owing to the prostrate stem, the hay consists entirely of leaves and flowers. From the fact that the tips of the stems are not cut off it revives very quickly after being mown, blossoms usually appearing within ten days. Four or five cuttings are made each season at intervals of thirty-five to forty days. Owing to the fact that the roots are comparatively shallow, it will succeed on thin land under irrigation where alfalfa fails. This clover has been tested to a very limited extent in the United States, but with promising results. The seed is four times as expensive as that of common white clover. This is called "giant broad-leaved white clover," an improved variety of the common white clover" from northern Italy, in Bulletin No. 98 of the North
Carolina Experiment Station. "The plant is much more robust and has larger leaves than the common species, but produces very little seed." Crimson clover (T. incarnatwm, Linn.) (Fig. 338) is an annual, erect, soft-hairy plant, strong-grow ing and standing erect, two to three feet high, with oblong, dense heads (becoming two to three inches long) of brilliant crimson flowers ; leaves long-stalked, the leaflets broadly obovate and obtuse, and small-toothed. Now much used for cover-cropping [see Corer-crops and Fruit-growing] and also for forage.
Although annual, it survives the winter if sown in late summer or early fall. It should become well rooted before winter sets in. Crimson clover requires considerable heat in its early stages, and therefore, it usually does not thrive in Canada and the northern states. About fifteen to twenty pounds of seed is used to the acre if the crop is sown alone. When well established, crimson clover may be pastured in the fall and again in spring. Cut before it arrives at full bloom it makes fairly good hay, although the very hairy character of the plant tends to the formation of hair-halls in the stomachs of the animals. An acre should yield five to ten bushels of seed.
Berseem or Egyptian clover (T. Alexandrinum, Linn.) (Figs. 91, 308) is annual, with yellowish white flowers in oblong heads, erect and tall, somewhat hairy. [See Bersecm, page 215.] harvest. It might be utilized in some Ilaces as an early mulch or a catch-crop.
Group III. Wild or little-known clovers.
There are a good number of native clovers, but they have not come into prominence agriculturally and they need not be discussed here. Descriptions of them may be found in the standard floras. Some of these clovers have been cultivated to a limited extent, or in an experimental way, in this country or abroad. Feeding-value analyses have been made of some of them at the Oregon Experi ment Station (Bulletin No. 52), of T. Wormskioldii, at the California Station (Report of 1895-7). The wild T. Beekwithii is mentioned as worthy of culti vation by J. G. Smith in Bulletin No. 2, Division of Agrostology, United States Department of Agri culture.