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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 63166 ***
+
+Transcriber Note
+
+Text emphasis denoted as _Italics_ and =Bold=.
+
+
+
+
+                          FARMERS' BULLETIN 1142
+
+                 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
+
+
+                                 GROWING
+
+                                 CRIMSON
+
+                                  CLOVER
+
+
+Crimson Clover is a handsome fall-planted annual, widely cultivated in
+the Middle Atlantic and Southeastern States for forage, a cover crop, and
+green manure.
+
+Crimson clover is commonly sown in corn at the last cultivation. If the
+soil is heavy, a better practice is to sow after a crop of small grain or
+on other land which can be specially prepared.
+
+Crimson clover will grow on poorer soil than most clovers and is not
+particularly dependent upon lime. For this reason it has been widely used
+for restoring the productivity of soils which have been abused. A more
+important function is to maintain crop yields on soils which are already
+moderately rich.
+
+The most common difficulty in growing crimson clover is the killing of the
+young stands by drought. This is best prevented by the preparation of a
+fine, moist, and firmly compacted seed bed.
+
+August and September are the best months for sowing crimson clover, the
+exact date depending upon the condition of the soil. Either hulled or
+unhulled seed may be used, the latter giving somewhat greater certainty of
+a stand.
+
+Crimson clover is often sown with a nurse crop of buckwheat or cowpeas, to
+protect it from the sun. A light covering of straw is also effective.
+
+Combinations of crimson clover with oats, hairy vetch, or other fall-sown
+forage crops give somewhat higher yields and a surer stand than crimson
+clover alone.
+
+No insects trouble crimson clover seriously, and the only severe disease
+is the stem-rot, or wilt.
+
+              Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry
+                           WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief
+                      Washington, D. C. August, 1920
+
+
+
+
+                       =GROWING CRIMSON CLOVER.=[1]
+
+
+                  L. W. Kephart, _Scientific Assistant,
+                  Office of Forage-Crop Investigations._
+
+[1] This bulletin is a revision of Farmers' Bulletin 550, entitled
+"Crimson Clover: Growing the Crop," by J. M. Westgate, formerly Agronomist
+in Charge of Clover Investigations, Office of Forage-Crop Investigations.
+The illustrations and some of the subject matter of the old bulletin are
+retained in the present issue.
+
+
+
+
+=CONTENTS.=
+
+                                                 Page.
+
+  History and adaptations                           4
+  Varieties                                         5
+  Use in the rotation                               6
+    Seeding in intertilled crops                    6
+    Seeding after an early-maturing crop            7
+  Requirements for obtaining a stand                8
+    Soils                                           9
+    Preparation of the seed bed                    10
+    Fertilizers                                    11
+    Lime                                           12
+    Inoculation                                    13
+  Seeding                                          13
+    Time of seeding                                13
+    Rate of seeding                                14
+    Methods of seeding                             14
+    Choice of seed                                 16
+    Unhulled seed                                  16
+    Use of a nurse crop                            17
+    Seed mixtures                                  18
+  Treatment of the stand                           20
+  Maladies                                         20
+
+
+[dropcap: CRIMSON] CLOVER is an annual or winter annual true clover,
+resembling common red clover in size and general appearance, the most
+noticeable difference being the flower heads, which are long, narrow, and
+pointed instead of short, spherical, and compact (fig. 1). The individual
+flowers of this clover are commonly of a rich scarlet color, and as the
+heads are borne mostly on the ends of the stems, a field of crimson clover
+in full bloom presents a strikingly brilliant appearance. Because of the
+color of the flowers, crimson clover is often termed "scarlet clover,"
+although it is also known, less commonly, as "French clover," "Italian
+clover," "German clover," "incarnate clover," and "annual clover." It is
+the only annual true clover that is of more than incidental agricultural
+importance in the eastern United States.
+
+Probably the most important characteristic of crimson clover is its
+ability to grow and make its crop during the fall and early spring,
+when the land is not occupied by the ordinary summer-grown crops. In
+sections where it succeeds, it can be sown following a grain crop or in
+an intertilled crop in late summer and is ready to harvest for hay, to
+pasture, or to turn under as green manure in time to plow the land for
+spring-seeded crops, such as corn or cotton. South of central Delaware
+it may even be cut for seed and the stubble plowed under in time for
+seeding a quick-maturing strain of corn. Because it can be grown during
+the offseason of the year, crimson clover is one of the most economical
+legumes for green manuring, and it has been largely used for that purpose
+in the regions to which it is adapted. The many uses to which this crop
+may be put merit a careful study of the best methods of establishing a
+stand of this clover on the farm.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 1.--A single plant of crimson clover.]
+
+
+
+
+=HISTORY AND ADAPTATIONS.=
+
+
+Crimson clover is a native of Europe, where it is cultivated as a forage
+and green-manuring crop in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, and
+Great Britain. Large quantities of crimson-clover seed are exported from
+Europe to the United States, especially from the districts of central
+France, where crimson clover is the premier leguminous forage plant.
+
+Crimson clover was introduced into this country as early as 1818, and the
+seed was widely distributed by the United States Patent Office in 1855.
+The plant was at first regarded more for its ornamental value than as a
+forage plant, however, and it was not until about 1880 that its value for
+agricultural purposes began to be appreciated.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 2.--Map of a part of the United States, showing the
+region where crimson clover is most widely grown.]
+
+At present crimson clover is grown most widely in the lighter sandy
+areas of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, where the soil is not very rich
+and the winters are not severe. (Fig. 2.) The plant does not withstand
+either extreme cold or extreme heat, and its culture is therefore limited
+to regions which enjoy at some time during the year a long period of
+relatively mild, moist weather. Ordinarily, this clover does not survive
+the winter in latitudes north of southern Pennsylvania, while in some of
+the Southern States it is frequently killed by dry, hot weather in the
+fall or spring. It succeeds well in the humid regions near the Gulf of
+Mexico and in the Pacific Northwest, but in these areas it is not widely
+grown.
+
+Normally, crimson clover is a winter annual comparable to winter wheat;
+that is, it is planted in the fall, lies more or less dormant over winter,
+grows rapidly in the spring, and dies, after going to seed, early in the
+summer. Where the summers are not too hot it can be planted in the spring
+and grown as a summer crop, but for this purpose other clovers are usually
+preferred.
+
+
+
+
+=VARIETIES.=
+
+
+Crimson clover is exceedingly variable both in color of flower and in
+time of maturity. These variations are particularly noticeable in fields
+planted from a mixed lot of seed, the flowers presenting a range in color
+from nearly pure white to a deep purplish red and the seeds a difference
+in date of ripening of more than a month. Since crimson clover is thought
+to be mainly self-pollinated, it is easy to fix these qualities by
+selection and to establish definite varieties.
+
+In Europe six or seven different varieties of crimson clover are
+recognized and sold by seedsmen, varying from extra early crimson flowered
+to, extra late white flowered and from very hardy to non-hardy. By the use
+of a succession of these varieties the European farmer is able to spread
+his harvest over six or seven weeks instead of having it concentrated
+within a few days, as in America. Similarly, the culture of the plant has
+been extended northward from Italy to Sweden by means of hardy strains.
+A wild form of crimson clover having yellowish flowers and hairy foliage
+occurs in southern and eastern Europe and in England, but it is not of
+economic value.
+
+In America no sharply defined varieties of crimson clover are recognized,
+except a white-blooming variety which is sold in the South and is two
+weeks later than the ordinary crimson-flowered sort. Hardy strains have
+been developed and used in a small way in Massachusetts and Ohio, but
+these are not commercially available.
+
+
+
+
+=USE IN THE ROTATION.=
+
+
+=SEEDING IN INTERTILLED CROPS.=
+
+In former years a large percentage of the crimson-clover acreage was
+seeded in corn or other intertilled crops at or shortly after the time of
+the last cultivation. In most of the crimson-clover area it is possible
+to make such a seeding, obtain a good growth during the fall and early
+spring, and mow or plow under the clover in time, for breaking up the land
+for another crop of corn. This has been the standard method of growing
+this clover, and it is still the leading practice in many of the older
+sections. Corn in the summer with crimson clover in the winter is a cheap
+and convenient method of growing a cash crop and a restorative crop the
+same year, and the reputation of crimson clover as a crop increaser is
+largely based on this simple rotation. Instances are by no means rare
+where the yield of corn has been gradually increased from 10 bushels per
+acre to as high as 70 bushels by this means.
+
+The difficulty with this method is the possibility of the stand of young
+clover failing through drought. The growing corn makes a heavy demand on
+the soil moisture, and if there is not enough moisture for both clover and
+corn the latter gets the larger share and the tender clover plants are
+likely to succumb. Because of the risk involved, farmers in the upland
+sections are seeking other and more reliable methods of seeding, and the
+sowing of crimson clover in corn is gradually decreasing.
+
+Where the danger from fall drought is not serious, crimson clover may be
+sown in corn at the time of the last cultivation or when the corn leaves
+have just begun to wither. South of central Virginia there is likely to be
+much hot weather after the corn is laid by, in which case it is best to
+delay the seeding of the clover until after the first rain. The appearance
+of a field of crimson clover seeded in corn the previous summer is shown
+in figure 3.
+
+South of southern Virginia crimson clover can be seeded in cotton,
+provided the field is free from crab-grass and other weeds and the soil is
+not too dry. In the extreme north of the cotton belt the seed may be sown
+at the last working of the cotton; farther south this occurs too early and
+it is necessary to wait for a rain, which often comes at about the time of
+the first picking.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 3.--Crimson clover in an old cornfield. The clover
+was seeded in the corn at the last cultivation. A fodder stack is to be
+observed in the middle foreground. The cornstalks have been removed to
+avoid difficulty in mowing the clover.]
+
+Crimson clover may be seeded in practically any of the cultivated truck
+crops which receive their last cultivation from 8 to 12 weeks before
+the first frost. It is not practicable to seed the clover in late
+potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other root crops, as the digging in the fall
+practically destroys the clover.
+
+Ordinarily, crimson clover does not succeed when sown in cowpeas, sorghum,
+or watermelons, owing to the heavy shade cast by these crops. It can,
+however, be seeded in tobacco, tomatoes, cultivated soy beans, and
+cantaloupes.
+
+
+=SEEDING AFTER AN EARLY-MATURING CROP.=
+
+Seeding crimson clover in an intertilled crop is successful mostly on
+sandy soils, which can easily be prepared for seeding even in mid-summer.
+On clay soils and in weedy fields this method of seeding is likely to be
+unsatisfactory. Such soils are usually hard and dry in August and can with
+difficulty be brought into condition for a seed bed, with the result that
+a large percentage of such seedings fail. A better plan on clay soils, and
+on sandy soils in many cases, is to seed the crimson clover on specially
+prepared ground from which all other crops have been removed. Such ground
+can be made as fine and firm as desired. Furthermore, the clover after
+planting does not have to compete with another crop for the soil moisture.
+This method is somewhat more troublesome than planting in intertilled
+crops, but the greater certainty of getting a stand more than offsets the
+greater cost. Planting crimson clover on specially prepared ground has
+extended the culture of the plant to regions where it was not hitherto
+grown and is increasing the reliability of the crop in sections where it
+has been long established.
+
+In the ordinary rotation, crimson clover follows a crop of small grain.
+However, it may follow any crop that is removed 8 to 10 weeks before
+frost, or it may be seeded on fallow ground. Ground from which early
+potatoes have been removed is especially favorable for the establishment
+of a stand of this clover. The residual effect of the fertilizers used on
+potatoes is partially responsible for this, while the well-settled seed
+bed, which requires only leveling and harrowing, also presents favorable
+conditions for the crimson-clover seedlings.
+
+In many parts of the South crimson clover can be seeded in corn stubble if
+an early variety of corn has been used. Although there is some risk that
+the clover may not make enough growth before winter if seeding is delayed
+until the corn is harvested, the danger of losing the stand is not as
+great as if the clover were seeded earlier, while the corn was standing.
+
+Crimson clover is sometimes seeded after a grass or clover crop if the
+rainfall in July is sufficient to cause the sod to decay. In the far South
+it can be planted after peanuts, while in all sections it can be sown as
+a catch crop on land where cotton or other crops have died early in the
+season.
+
+
+
+
+=REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING A STAND.=
+
+
+Probably the difficulty most commonly experienced in growing crimson
+clover is failure to obtain a satisfactory stand. Sometimes the seed does
+not germinate well; more commonly good germination is secured, but the
+seedlings wither and die before they can become established. Frequently
+not more than 50 per cent of the plants survive the first three weeks,
+while a complete failure of the crop is a common risk even in the sections
+where crimson clover is most widely grown.
+
+The most common cause of failure to obtain a stand is hot, dry
+weather after planting. The seedlings of crimson clover are tender,
+succulent, and shallow rooted and are easily killed by lack of moisture.
+Unfortunately, in most of the crimson-clover area the weather during late
+August and early September is very likely to be hot and droughty, making
+the planting of the clover at that time rather hazardous. Some farmers
+attempt to avoid this difficulty by planting either in early summer or in
+October, after the fall rains; there is danger, however, that the plants
+will make too much or too little growth to survive the winter. In the
+long run it is probably better to plant at the regular time and depend
+upon thorough preparation of the seed bed to offset any deficiency in the
+rainfall.
+
+
+=SOILS.=
+
+Crimson clover can be grown successfully on almost any type of soil if it
+is reasonably rich, well drained, and supplied with organic matter and the
+proper inoculating bacteria. Probably two-thirds of the crimson-clover
+acreage is found on the sandy soils of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, but
+the crop is not necessarily restricted to sandy soils and is in fact
+increasing in importance on the red-clay soils of the Piedmont region and
+in the limestone valleys of Virginia and Tennessee.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 4.--a crimson-clover failure on ground too poor in
+humus.]
+
+Crimson clover has been an important factor in increasing yields on soils
+that have been abused, but it is not a crop for land which is naturally
+very poor. It does not do well on rough, newly cleared areas, raw
+subsoil, Hard, dry clay, or sterile sand. (Fig. 4.) For such soils soy
+beans, cowpeas, and velvet beans are better suited and should be used for
+the first three or four years until crimson clover can be successfully
+grown. Crimson clover can be made to grow on poor soils, provided they
+are specially prepared by liming, manuring, and inoculating. In general,
+however, crimson clover is a crop for maintaining soils which are already
+fairly productive rather than one for inducing productivity in soils where
+it is quite lacking. If there is any doubt whether the soil is suitable
+for crimson clover, a small plat should be prepared under field conditions
+and planted one year for trial.
+
+
+=PREPARATION OF THE SEED BED.=
+
+To secure a full, even stand of crimson clover with any degree of
+regularity the seed bed should be well and thoroughly prepared. The soil
+should be firm, moist, well settled, and fine on top. Only indifferent
+success can possibly be expected if the seed is scattered on land which
+is loose, dry, and full of hard lumps and trash. A loose seed bed dries
+out quickly, heaves during the winter, and on some soils blows and washes
+badly.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 5.--A corrugated roller or pulverizer, an excellent
+implement for preparing the seed bed for crimson clover.]
+
+On the other hand, the seed bed should not be too hard, for although this
+clover often grows successfully on soil which would be too solid for
+corn, there must be at| least enough loose soil on the surface to cover
+the seed. Thorough preparation is the very best insurance against failure
+of the stand through drought or winterkilling, and the most successful
+growers sow crimson clover on land as well prepared as that for wheat.
+
+To secure a fine, firm seed bed without drying out the surface soil, the
+land should be prepared with as few operations as possible. A single
+working when the soil is in a moist, crumbly condition is better than half
+a dozen workings when the soil is too wet or too dry. In very sandy soils,
+or soils which do not form a crust, the only preparation needed is to keep
+down the weeds.
+
+An excellent tool for making the seed bed is the corrugated roller or
+pulverizer (fig. 5). This implement is an improvement over the old plain
+roller for breaking clods and is unexcelled for keeping the surface soil
+moist. It can be used after plowing and again before planting, and even
+after planting if the soil needs to be compacted. Rolling of some kind to
+firm the soil is especially important on sandy soils, but it is equally
+beneficial on clay soils if they are cloddy.
+
+When clover is seeded in an intertilled crop, such as corn, cotton, or
+tomatoes, the customary cultivation received by these crops is ordinarily
+sufficient preparation for crimson clover. In sandy soil the clover is
+often seeded without any immediate preparation, but a light stirring with
+a harrow-toothed cultivator is desirable if the ground is hard. If the
+clover is to be used for hay or seed, the preceding crop should be laid by
+level rather than in ridges. This will facilitate cutting the clover.
+
+Where crimson clover is seeded after a crop of small grain, the stubble
+should be plowed or disked as soon as possible after the grain is cut.
+Stubble land dries out quickly, partly because the soil is suddenly left
+bare and partly because of the drain on the soil moisture by the crops of
+ragweed and other coarse-growing weeds which always follow a grain crop.
+Unless the soil is cultivated at once it becomes very difficult to obtain
+anything like an ideal seed bed for crimson clover. This difficulty is
+usually more pronounced after oats and barley than after rye and wheat.
+Ordinarily the best practice is to disk the grain stubble within a week
+after harvest and harrow every week, or at least after every rain, in
+order to settle the ground, destroy the weeds, and assist in holding the
+moisture pending the time of seeding the clover. Plowing the stubble
+is more expensive than disking and requires that the ground be allowed
+to settle for a month or six weeks in order to secure a firm seed bed.
+Plowing is an advantage in a wet season, because plowed ground dries
+readily; it is a disadvantage in a dry season for the same reason.
+
+
+=FERTILIZERS.=
+
+On moderately rich soil the fertilizer applied to the preceding crop is
+sufficient to produce a good crop of crimson clover. This is especially
+true where the clover follows such crops as potatoes or tomatoes, which
+ordinarily are heavily treated with fertilizers. It is important to
+realize, however, that crimson clover has a very short period of growth,
+and that to make a vigorous growth it must have a good supply of plant
+food. On sandy soils where fertilizers have not recently been applied it
+is often the practice to apply from 150 to 200 pounds of acid phosphate,
+with some potash fertilizer if it can be afforded. On clay soils 200 or
+300 pounds per acre of acid phosphate ordinarily are sufficient. On many
+soils a light application of nitrate of soda will assist materially in
+giving the young clover plants a good start and often will enable them to
+withstand the effects of a late drought or severe winter which otherwise
+might have injured the stand. If the seeding has been delayed, as by
+waiting for suitable rains, an application of not more than 75 pounds of
+nitrate of soda per acre will stimulate the young plants and enable them
+to make a better growth before winter.
+
+Fertilizer is usually applied at seeding time, but a few farmers have been
+found who apply it as a top-dressing very early the following summer,
+giving as a reason that there is then no loss from winter leaching and
+that by this method the plants are nourished at the time they are making
+their most vigorous growth. Such top-dressings of fertilizer should not
+be made while the leaves are wet with rain or dew. Where stable manure is
+applied to crimson clover very marked results follow. It may be spread
+just before seeding when the clover is not grown in an intertilled crop,
+or it may be applied as a top-dressing in winter or very early spring.
+
+The more vigorous the growth that can be induced by the application of
+suitable fertilizers the more marked will be the increase in the yield of
+the succeeding crops. On soil in a low state of productivity the use of
+a reasonable amount of fertilizer will often enable a successful crop of
+clover and succeeding crops to be produced, where had not the fertilizers
+been applied the clover would have failed. Furthermore, the following
+crop, particularly if it be corn, would also fail to give the increased
+yield which follows a successful stand of crimson clover.
+
+An application of barnyard manure will be found to be especially effective
+in obtaining a stand of crimson clover on any thin, galled spots in the
+field. The manure should be worked into the ground before seeding, and,
+if possible, a second application as a top-dressing should be given a day
+or two after planting. The top-dressing stimulates the seedlings and if
+strawy helps to protect them from the August sun.
+
+
+=LIME.=
+
+Crimson clover is not as dependent on lime as red clover and alfalfa,
+being more like alsike clover in this respect. It does not thrive on soils
+which are very "sour," but on well-drained soils in a productive condition
+crimson clover frequently makes a vigorous growth, even though the soil
+may show a high lime requirement. The stands are usually more uniformly
+good over the limed parts of such fields than on the unlimed parts,
+although it is sometimes questionable whether the benefit derived from
+liming is profitable. Liming is more often desirable on clay soils than
+on sandy soils, and usually gives better results when used in conjunction
+with fertilizers than when used alone. On light sandy soils deficient
+in humus burnt lime may be actually injurious. In considering the
+advisability of applying lime one must not lose sight of the need of lime
+on the part of such other crops as corn, cantaloupes, or peaches, which
+are either grown with or follow the clover. Inasmuch as the effect of
+liming varies greatly in different localities, it is suggested that small
+plats be treated experimentally at different rates before any considerable
+areas are limed.
+
+
+=INOCULATION.=
+
+A large part of the value of all clovers lies in their ability to utilize
+the nitrogen of the air and add it to the soil. When grown on rich land,
+the clovers, like many other plants, use the nitrogen already present in
+the soil and are not stimulated to contribute any to their own support or
+to the support of other crops. To enable the clover to use the nitrogen in
+the air the presence of the proper nodule-forming bacteria in the soil is
+necessary.
+
+Fortunately, most of the soils in the crimson-clover sections appear to
+be already inoculated, and artificial inoculation is not often necessary,
+except on soils new to the crop. Crimson clover is inoculated by the same
+strain of bacteria which occurs on the roots of the other true clovers;
+consequently, a field which has produced a good stand of red, mammoth,
+alsike, white, hop, Carolina, rabbit's-foot, or buffalo clover is usually
+inoculated sufficiently for crimson clover. Sweet clover, Japan clover,
+and bur clover are not true clovers and are inoculated by a different
+strain of bacteria.
+
+The importance of inoculation is well shown by an experiment conducted by
+the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. In this experiment yields of
+4,057 and 6,100 pounds of crimson-clover hay were secured on inoculated
+soils, while on corresponding areas which were not inoculated the yields
+were 761 pounds on one area and nothing on the other.
+
+The soil can be inoculated artificially by means of pure cultures of the
+bacteria or by the transfer of a small quantity of soil from another
+clover field.[2] The latter method is the more certain, but is open to
+the danger of introducing noxious weeds, insects, and plant diseases,
+especially if the soil is brought from a distance. The presence of
+stem-rot in many sections makes the use of soil especially dangerous. This
+disease can, be carried with the soil from field to field.
+
+[2] Sufficient pure culture for inoculating seed for 1 acre can be secured
+free from the United States Department of Agriculture. Full directions for
+using the culture accompany each bottle. Directions for inoculating by the
+soil-transfer method can also be obtained from this Department.
+
+
+
+
+=SEEDING.=
+
+
+=TIME OF SEEDING.=
+
+Crimson clover is usually sown between August 15 and October 1, the
+general rule being to plant about 60 days before the first killing frost
+is expected. South of Virginia crimson clover can be seeded as late as
+November 1, although if planted late more seed should be used and a light
+dressing of nitrate of soda applied, in order to stimulate the young
+plants. Seeding earlier than August 1 is seldom advisable unless the crop
+is sown with some other crop the shade of which will hold it back.
+
+The exact date of planting depends almost entirely upon the moisture
+content of the soil. The principal condition to avoid is planting when the
+soil contains just enough moisture to germinate the seeds, but not enough
+to keep the plants growing. Usually it is better to plant when the soil is
+quite dry than when it is slightly moist, for in dry soil the seeds, if
+properly buried, lie without germinating and are ready to grow vigorously
+at the first rainfall. The most favorable time for seeding is just before
+or just after a good rain, when the soil is moist enough to form a ball in
+the hand.
+
+
+=RATE OF SEEDING.=
+
+The ordinary rate of seeding crimson clover is 15 pounds per acre,
+although the rate varies according to conditions. From 12 to 15 pounds per
+acre are usually sufficient when growing the crop for seed or when the
+soil is unusually rich. On poor soil, dry soil, or on soil which has not
+previously produced crimson clover 18 to 22 pounds of seed give better
+assurance of a stand. Heavy seeding is also desirable when planting late
+in the season or when a heavy crop is wanted for green manure early in the
+spring.
+
+Theoretically, 2 pounds of seed per acre would provide six plants
+for every square foot, which is a satisfactory stand. Under ordinary
+circumstances, however, it is necessary to allow for some of the seed
+being too deep, or too shallow, or failing to germinate, and for a certain
+percentage of winterkilling. It is also well to have a fairly thick stand
+of the young plants, so that the ground may be well covered during the
+early fall and thus prevent soil washing and the growth of winter weeds.
+
+
+=METHODS OF SEEDING.=
+
+The most common method of seeding crimson clover in intertilled crops
+is to scatter the seed broadcast with a rotary seeder or by hand. (Fig.
+6.) In order to place the seed on a fresh, moist seed bed it is commonly
+broadcasted immediately behind the cultivator at the last cultivation and
+is covered 'at once by a second cultivator. In tall corn the seed may be
+sown from horseback, the ears of the horse being covered with small bags
+to prevent the entrance of the flying seed. Slightly more seed is required
+when seeding in tall corn, as some seed catches in the corn plants. When
+seeding in cotton care must be taken to avoid injury to the opening bolls,
+which are easily knocked off or torn. This is best done by seeding by
+hand, covering the seed with a piece of brush dragged down the rows.
+
+In low-growing truck crops and on fallow ground crimson clover can be
+seeded with a wheelbarrow seeder. This implement distributes the seed more
+evenly than can be done by hand or with the rotary seeder, especially
+when planting a mixture of crops. The wheelbarrow seeder being somewhat
+awkward to handle is better adapted to smooth, level fields than to
+hillsides.
+
+Probably the very best method of seeding crimson clover is with the
+special clover or alfalfa drill. Where enough clover is grown to warrant
+its use this implement is to be highly recommended. The seed is sown in
+4-inch rows at just the proper depth and with the right pressure, and the
+fertilizer is placed exactly under each row, where it will be immediately
+available to the seedlings. Drilled clover requires less seed than
+broadcasted clover and produces a more even and certain stand.
+
+In place of the special clover drill an ordinary grain drill equipped with
+a clover-seed attachment can be used with good results. Special spouts
+should be arranged to lead from the clover-seed box back of the shoes or
+disks, in order to deposit the seed directly in the furrow. Chain furrow
+closers are best for covering the seed, as they leave the furrows broad
+and flat instead of =V= shaped and lessen the danger of the seedlings
+being covered with soil during a hard rain.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Seeding crimson clover in corn at the last
+cultivation.]
+
+For use in intertilled crops there are several types of 1-row drills, the
+best for this purpose being the 5-hoe drill equipped with press wheels.
+
+Crimson-clover seed must be covered, but not too deeply. In most soils it
+is not enough to depend on rain to effect a covering. An inch in sandy
+soils and half an inch in clay soils appear to be about the right depth.
+Shallow planting gives the best results in wet seasons and deep planting
+in time of drought. Broadcasted seed should be covered with a spike-tooth
+harrow or a weeder rather than a heavy harrow or a shovel cultivator. A
+harrow made of fairly stiff brush is often useful in loose soil.
+
+
+=CHOICE OF SEED.=
+
+As a rule, fresh crimson-clover seed is of good viability, and failure
+to secure a stand is not often caused by failure of the seed to grow.
+Unlike most clovers, crimson-clover seed absorbs water readily and sprouts
+quickly. There are practically none of the hard seeds which are so
+frequent in red clover and sweet clover, and a germination of 90 per cent
+in 48 hour's is not uncommon. The seed deteriorates rapidly, however, and
+when more than 2 years old rarely shows a germination in excess of 50 per
+cent. Sometimes, when stocks of commercial seed are low, old seed finds
+its way to the market, and this, when planted, gives poor results. Old
+seed can usually be detected by the dull-brown appearance of the seed coat
+as contrasted with the bright, shiny, pinkish or greenish yellow color of
+fresh seed. Brown seed, however, is sometimes caused by weathering during
+harvest, and such seed is not objectionable unless the weathering has been
+excessive.
+
+A common impurity in crimson-clover seed is green, shrunken, and immature
+seed, caused by harvesting the crop before it is ripe. Crimson-clover seed
+does not germinate readily until it takes on a yellowish tinge; therefore,
+green seed should be rejected.
+
+Crimson-clover seed is larger and plumper than red-clover seed and if
+properly cleaned should not contain seeds of dodder or the smaller
+seeded weeds. Frequently, however, it does contain the seeds of field
+peppergrass, yellow trefoil, evening primrose, sheep sorrel, wild
+geranium, buttercups, mustards, and other weeds which blossom in early
+summer.
+
+
+=UNHULLED SEED.=
+
+There is a growing belief among farmers that they are less likely to lose
+a stand of crimson clover through drought if they sow the seed in the hull
+rather than use the hulled seed as it ordinarily appears on the market.
+It is claimed that the hulls hold the moisture to some extent and carry
+the seedlings over the critical day or two following germination, while
+some farmers assert that the unhulled seeds require more moisture for
+germination, and the seeds therefore do not sprout until there is enough
+moisture in the soil to keep the plants growing. Unhulled seed is bulky
+and is not often handled by commercial seedsmen, although one large grower
+sells the unhulled seed in compressed, bales similar to small cotton
+bales. It usually can be secured from neighboring farmers, however, or is
+easily saved at home. The seed can be harvested with a stripper from the
+standing crop in the field or the mature crop can be cut and thrashed like
+an ordinary grain crop. For local planting on a small scale unhulled seed
+is the cheapest and most accessible form of crimson-clover seed.
+
+Unhulled seed is somewhat difficult to sow, because the hairy hulls stick
+together in masses and can not be scattered uniformly. To avoid this
+trouble the seed may be mixed with moistened earth or with lime, or may be
+sown with a blower similar to those used on small forges. A better plan
+is to sow on a windy day, throwing the seed vertically into the air and
+allowing the wind to scatter it.
+
+Of unhulled seed of the best quality, 100 pounds contains about 1 bushel
+(60 pounds) of clean seed. The common grades, however, are usually more
+chaffy and require 120 to 180 pounds to make a bushel. From 2 to 3 pounds
+of unhulled seed are therefore regarded as equivalent to 1 pound of hulled
+seed. A bushel of unhulled seed, even when well packed down, weighs only 6
+to 10 pounds and contains about 4 pounds of seed. The appearance of both
+hulled and unhulled crimson-clover seed is shown in figure 7.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 7.--Hulled seed of crimson clover of a common
+commercial grade and unhulled seed gathered with a homemade stripper.
+(Natural size.)]
+
+
+=USE OF A NURSE CROP.=
+
+In order to protect the crimson-clover seedlings from the hot sun of late
+August it is a common practice in some sections to plant with the clover a
+small quantity of some quick-growing crop like buckwheat, cowpeas, rape,
+or turnips. A thin stand of these heavier leaved plants furnishes an ideal
+shade for the young clover, and on soils which are inclined to bake it
+prevents the formation of a crust. The nurse crop must be seeded lightly,
+usually not more than half the regular rate, as the ordinary stand shades
+the ground so completely as to destroy the crimson clover. On hot clay
+soil in the Piedmont region the chances of obtaining a stand of clover are
+about twice as good with a nurse crop as without one.
+
+Buckwheat is the principal nurse crop northward from Washington, D. C.
+A common rate of seeding is 2 to 3 pecks of buckwheat in 15 pounds of
+crimson clover. If the planting can be made in July the buckwheat usually
+has time to ripen before frost and thus pay the cost of starting both
+stands.
+
+In the cotton belt cowpeas have been used successfully, especially
+when seeding on fallow ground. They are seeded broadcast at the rate
+of one-half bushel per acre. There is ordinarily not enough time for
+the cowpeas to mature, but they add to the value of the stand for fall
+pasturage and protect the clover from severe weather in the winter. Both
+cowpeas and buckwheat have the merit of being able to grow on poor soil.
+
+Dwarf Essex rape has been used as a nurse crop in a few cases where the
+clover was to be pastured by hogs or sheep in the fall. From 2 to 3 pounds
+of rape, sown in August, furnishes sufficient cover for a nurse crop.
+Cowhorn turnips, winter kale, and mustard are also satisfactory nurse
+crops if planted at a rate not exceeding 1 pound of seed per acre. If the
+clover is to be saved for seed these latter crops are objectionable, as a
+few plants will live over winter and ripen at the same time as the clover.
+
+Where a nurse crop can not be grown conveniently, the crimson-clover
+seedlings can be protected from the sun by a light top-dressing of straw,
+spread just after the seed is sown.
+
+
+SEED MIXTURES.
+
+Crimson clover is frequently grown in combination with winter grain, hairy
+vetch, or other forage crops having a similar period of growth. The mixed
+crop is less liable to lodge than the single crop, cures more readily in
+damp weather, and usually furnishes a heavier yield. Another advantage of
+the mixed crop is that if either should fail the other will serve as a
+cover crop during the winter and bring some return the following spring.
+Mixed crops are not desirable if the clover is to be saved for seed.
+
+South of central Virginia crimson clover is usually grown in combination
+with winter oats. An early variety of oats, such as the Fulghum, or a late
+variety of clover, such as the white blooming, is usually the best, as
+the oat crop matures somewhat later than the ordinary crimson clover. The
+customary rate of seeding is 15 pounds of the clover and 2½ bushels of
+oats per acre. In Delaware and eastern Maryland the most popular companion
+crop for crimson clover is winter wheat, although barley makes a desirable
+hay crop and is sometimes used. Eye is not desirable for hay, but it
+is probably the best of the grains for green manure, as it is hardy,
+vigorous, and starts growth early in the spring. Rye and wheat are seeded
+at the rate of 1 bushel per acre with the customary quantity of crimson
+clover. The accompanying illustration (fig. 8) shows a field seeded to a
+mixture of crimson clover and wheat. Usually the grain is well headed,
+but in the milk or soft-dough stage, when the clover is ready to cut, the
+yield of the mixed crimson clover and grain is often 25 to 50 per cent
+greater than that of the clover alone.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 8.--Crimson clover and wheat in mixture. In the
+foreground the crop has been cut and fed green to stock. The remainder
+was cut the next day for hay. The grain prevents the crimson clover from
+lodging.]
+
+Hairy vetch and crimson clover are sometimes grown together, seeding at
+the rate of 20 pounds and 10 pounds per acre, respectively. As both these
+plants are likely to lodge in good soil, however, one of the grains is
+usually included, a common seeding mixture being oats 2 bushels, hairy
+vetch 12 to 15 pounds, and crimson clover 5 pounds. Bur clover, black
+medic, and other winter-growing legumes are sometimes found in mixtures
+with crimson clover, although such mixtures generally occur by accident
+rather than intent. Black medic and crimson clover make' a particularly
+good combination on rich soil.
+
+In most of the crimson-clover area the cultivated grasses, such as
+timothy, redtop, and orchard grass, are not commonly grown. However,
+where these grasses flourish they may well be seeded at the same time
+as the crimson clover, provided the latter is planted not earlier than
+September 15. In some sections Johnson grass and Bermuda grass make useful
+combinations with crimson clover, the grasses making most of their growth
+in the summer and the clover in the fall and spring.
+
+
+
+
+=TREATMENT OF THE STAND.=
+
+
+Ordinarily no special treatment is required after seeding and the clover
+goes into the winter without any further handling. If the growth is so
+rank that there is danger of the plants being too succulent to survive the
+winter, the tops can be reduced by light grazing with small animals, such
+as calves, sheep, or chickens, or by mowing with the cutter bar of the
+mowing machine set high. If the stand is backward, it may be stimulated
+by a light application of nitrate of soda. It is said that a thin stand
+can be thickened by grazing lightly with sheep, as the grazing induces
+heavier stooling. The aim should be to carry the clover into the winter
+with well-hardened leafy stems and with a well-established root system to
+withstand heaving out in the spring.
+
+In fields which are to be saved for seed a wise precaution is to go over
+them early in the spring and chop out the weeds. If wild onion and other
+weeds are chopped off in April, they do not make enough growth by May to
+contaminate the seed crop.
+
+
+
+
+=MALADIES.=
+
+
+The only disease seriously affecting crimson clover is the clover
+stem-rot, root-rot, or wilt, a disease resembling the stem-rot, or wilt,
+of lettuce and other plants. This disease is prevalent in nearly all
+the crimson-clover States and sometimes does considerable damage. The
+stem-rot affects the clover at all seasons, but is more noticeable in the
+spring, when it sometimes causes large spots of clover suddenly to wilt
+and fall. Occasionally an entire field is affected, but the disease is
+most prevalent in low, rich spots. Examination of the plants discloses
+a rotting off or decay of the stems close to the ground, followed
+immediately by the appearance on the stems of small black lumps, or
+sclerotia, about the size of clover seed. These sclerotia are a means of
+spreading the disease and are often harvested in the hay or in the seed
+crop. The only known remedy for the stem-rot is to cease growing clover or
+alfalfa on an infested field for three or four years, substituting cowpeas
+or soy beans. Seed from fields known to be infested should, of course, be
+avoided.
+
+No insects are known to affect crimson clover seriously, nor are weeds
+of great importance in clover planted on clean fields. When planted in
+cultivated crops or in poorly prepared ground crimson clover is often
+seriously damaged by a rank growth of chickweed, knawel (moss weed),
+winter cress, and other winter-growing annuals.
+
+
+WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1920
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+=Transcriber Note=
+
+Minor typos have been corrected. Illustrations were moved to prevent
+splitting paragraphs. Produced from files generously made available by
+USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant materials are placed in
+the Public Domain.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142:
+Growing Crimson Clover, by Leonard Wheeler Kephart
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 63166 ***
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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142: Growing

-Crimson Clover, by Leonard Wheeler Kephart

-

-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most

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-to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.

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-Title: USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142: Growing Crimson Clover

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-Author: Leonard Wheeler Kephart

-

-Release Date: September 10, 2020 [EBook #63166]

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-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK USDA FARMERS' BULLETIN NO. 1142 ***

-

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-Produced by Tom Cosmas from files generously made available

-by USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant

-materials are placed in the Public Domain.

-

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-</pre>

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p>&nbsp;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[ 1 ]</a></span></p>

-

-

-<div class="fig_center" style="width: 629px;">

-<img src="images/cover.png" width="629" height="521" alt="USDA Farmers' Bulletin 1142: Growing Crimson Clover, by L. W. Kephart" />

-</div>

-

-

-<div class="bbox smaller tdc" style="width: 15em; margin: 0 auto;">

-FARMERS' BULLETIN 1142<br />

-UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE<br />

-GROWING<br />

-CRIMSON<br />

-GLOVER</div>

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[ 2 ]</a></span></p>

-

-<div class="bbox" style="width: 30em; padding: 12px; margin: 0 auto;">

-

-<div class="dropcap">C</div>

-

-<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">C</span>rimson clover is a handsome fall-planted

-annual, widely cultivated in the Middle Atlantic

-and Southeastern States for forage, a cover crop,

-and green manure.</p>

-

-<p>Crimson clover is commonly sown in corn at the

-last cultivation. If the soil is heavy, a better practice

-is to sow after a crop of small grain or on other land

-which can be specially prepared.</p>

-

-<p>Crimson clover will grow on poorer soil than most

-clovers and is not particularly dependent upon lime.

-For this reason it has been widely used for restoring

-the productivity of soils which have been abused. A

-more important function is to maintain crop yields

-on soils which are already moderately rich.</p>

-

-<p>The most common difficulty in growing crimson

-clover is the killing of the young stands by drought.

-This is best prevented by the preparation of a fine,

-moist, and firmly compacted seed bed.</p>

-

-<p>August and September are the best months for

-sowing crimson clover, the exact date depending

-upon the condition of the soil. Either hulled or unhulled

-seed may be used, the latter giving somewhat

-greater certainty of a stand.</p>

-

-<p>Crimson clover is often sown with a nurse crop of

-buckwheat or cowpeas, to protect it from the sun.

-A light covering of straw is also effective.</p>

-

-<p>Combinations of crimson clover with oats, hairy

-vetch, or other fall-sown forage crops give somewhat

-higher yields and a surer stand than crimson clover

-alone.</p>

-

-<p>No insects trouble crimson clover seriously, and

-the only severe disease is the stem-rot, or wilt.</p>

-</div>

-

-<div class="bbox smaller tdc" style="width: 20em; margin: 12px auto; padding: 12px;">

-Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry<br />

-WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief<br />

-Washington, D. C. August, 1920<br />

-</div>

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[ 3 ]</a></span></p>

-

-

-

-<h1>GROWING CRIMSON CLOVER.<a name="FNanchor_1" id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h1>

-

-

-<p class="caption3nb pmb2"><span class="smcap">L. W. Kephart</span>,<br />

-<span class="smaller"><i>Scientific Assistant, Office of Forage-Crop Investigations.</i></span></p>

-

-<div class="footnote">

-

-<p><a name="Footnote_1" id="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> This bulletin is a revision of Farmers' Bulletin 550, entitled "Crimson Clover:

-Growing the Crop," by J. M. Westgate, formerly Agronomist in Charge of Clover

-Investigations, Office of Forage-Crop Investigations. The illustrations and some of the

-subject matter of the old bulletin are retained in the present issue.</p></div>

-

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS.</a></h2>

-

-

-<table class="tblcont" summary="ToC">

-<tr>

-  <td></td>

-  <td class="smaller tdr">Page.</td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl">History and adaptations</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#HISTORY_AND_ADAPTATIONS">4</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl">Varieties</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#VARIETIES">5</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl">Use in the rotation</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#USE_IN_THE_ROTATION">6</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Seeding in intertilled crops</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEEDING_IN_INTERTILLED_CROPS">6</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Seeding after an early-maturing crop</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEEDING_AFTER">7</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl">Requirements for obtaining a stand</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#REQUIREMENTS_FOR_OBTAINING_A_STAND">8</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Soils</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SOILS">9</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Preparation of the seed bed</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#PREPARATION">10</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Fertilizers</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#FERTILIZERS">11</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Lime</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#LIME">12</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Inoculation</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#INOCULATION">13</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl">Seeding</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEEDING">13</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Time of seeding</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#TIME_OF_SEEDING">13</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Rate of seeding</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#RATE_OF_SEEDING">14</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Methods of seeding</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#METHODS_OF_SEEDING">14</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Choice of seed</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHOICE_OF_SEED">16</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Unhulled seed</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#UNHULLED">16</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Use of a nurse crop</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#NURSE_CROP">17</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl2">Seed mixtures</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEED_MIXTURES">18</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl">Treatment of the stand</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#TREATMENT_OF_THE_STAND">20</a></td>

-</tr>

-<tr>

-  <td class="tdl">Maladies</td>

-  <td class="tdr"><a href="#MALADIES">20</a></td>

-</tr>

-</table>

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-

-<div class="dropcap">C</div>

-

-<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">C</span>rimson clover is an annual or winter annual true clover,

-resembling common red clover in size and general appearance,

-the most noticeable difference being the flower heads, which are long,

-narrow, and pointed instead of short, spherical, and compact (<a href="#fig1">fig. 1</a>).

-The individual flowers of this clover are commonly of a rich scarlet

-color, and as the heads are borne mostly on the ends of the stems,

-a field of crimson clover in full bloom presents a strikingly brilliant

-appearance. Because of the color of the flowers, crimson clover is

-often termed "scarlet clover," although it is also known, less commonly,

-as "French clover," "Italian clover," "German clover," "incarnate

-clover," and "annual clover." It is the only annual true

-clover that is of more than incidental agricultural importance in

-the eastern United States.</p>

-

-<p>Probably the most important characteristic of crimson clover is

-its ability to grow and make its crop during the fall and early spring,

-when the land is not occupied by the ordinary summer-grown crops.

-In sections where it succeeds, it can be sown following a grain crop

-or in an intertilled crop in late summer and is ready to harvest for

-hay, to pasture, or to turn under as green manure in time to plow

-the land for spring-seeded crops, such as corn or cotton. South of

-central Delaware it may even be cut for seed and the stubble plowed

-under in time for seeding a quick-maturing strain of corn. Because

-it can be grown during the offseason of the year, crimson clover

-is one of the most economical legumes for green manuring, and it has

-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[ 4 ]</a></span>

-been largely used for that purpose in the regions to which it is

-adapted. The many uses to which this crop may be put merit a careful

-study of the best methods of establishing a stand of this clover on

-the farm.</p>

-

-<div class="fig_center" style="width: 461px;"><a id="fig1"></a>

-<img src="images/fig1.png" width="461" height="609" alt="" />

-<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span>&mdash;A single plant of crimson clover.</div>

-</div>

-

-

-

-<h2><a id="HISTORY_AND_ADAPTATIONS"></a>HISTORY AND ADAPTATIONS.</h2>

-

-<p>Crimson clover is a native of Europe, where it is cultivated as a

-forage and green-manuring crop in Italy, France, Spain, Germany,

-Austria, and Great Britain. Large quantities of crimson-clover seed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[ 5 ]</a></span>

-are exported from Europe to the United States, especially from the

-districts of central France, where crimson clover is the premier leguminous

-forage plant.</p>

-

-<p>Crimson clover was introduced into this country as early as 1818,

-and the seed was widely distributed by the United States Patent

-Office in 1855. The plant was at first regarded more for its ornamental

-value than as a forage plant, however, and it was not until

-about 1880 that its value for agricultural purposes began to be

-appreciated.</p>

-

-<div class="fig_right" style="width: 310px;"><a id="fig2"></a>

-<img src="images/fig2.png" width="310" height="293" alt="" />

-<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 2.</span>&mdash;Map of a part of the United States, showing the

-region where crimson clover is most widely grown.</div>

-</div>

-

-<p>At present crimson clover is grown most widely in the lighter sandy

-areas of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, where the soil is not very rich

-and the winters are not severe. (<a href="#fig2">Fig. 2.</a>) The plant does not withstand

-either extreme

-cold or extreme heat,

-and its culture is

-therefore limited to

-regions which enjoy

-at some time during

-the year a long period

-of relatively

-mild, moist weather.

-Ordinarily, this

-clover does not survive

-the winter in

-latitudes north of

-southern Pennsylvania,

-while in some

-of the Southern

-States it is frequently

-killed by dry, hot

-weather in the fall

-or spring. It succeeds well in the humid regions near the Gulf of

-Mexico and in the Pacific Northwest, but in these areas it is not

-widely grown.</p>

-

-<p>Normally, crimson clover is a winter annual comparable to winter

-wheat; that is, it is planted in the fall, lies more or less dormant

-over winter, grows rapidly in the spring, and dies, after going to seed,

-early in the summer. Where the summers are not too hot it can be

-planted in the spring and grown as a summer crop, but for this purpose

-other clovers are usually preferred.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="VARIETIES" id="VARIETIES">VARIETIES.</a></h2>

-

-

-<p>Crimson clover is exceedingly variable both in color of flower and

-in time of maturity. These variations are particularly noticeable in

-fields planted from a mixed lot of seed, the flowers presenting a

-range in color from nearly pure white to a deep purplish red and the

-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[ 6 ]</a></span>

-seeds a difference in date of ripening of more than a month. Since

-crimson clover is thought to be mainly self-pollinated, it is easy to

-fix these qualities by selection and to establish definite varieties.</p>

-

-<p>In Europe six or seven different varieties of crimson clover are

-recognized and sold by seedsmen, varying from extra early crimson

-flowered to, extra late white flowered and from very hardy to non-hardy.

-By the use of a succession of these varieties the European

-farmer is able to spread his harvest over six or seven weeks instead of

-having it concentrated within a few days, as in America. Similarly,

-the culture of the plant has been extended northward from Italy to

-Sweden by means of hardy strains. A wild form of crimson clover

-having yellowish flowers and hairy foliage occurs in southern and

-eastern Europe and in England, but it is not of economic value.</p>

-

-<p>In America no sharply defined varieties of crimson clover are recognized,

-except a white-blooming variety which is sold in the South

-and is two weeks later than the ordinary crimson-flowered sort.

-Hardy strains have been developed and used in a small way in

-Massachusetts and Ohio, but these are not commercially available.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="USE_IN_THE_ROTATION" id="USE_IN_THE_ROTATION">USE IN THE ROTATION.</a></h2>

-

-

-<h3><a id="SEEDING_IN_INTERTILLED_CROPS"></a>SEEDING IN INTERTILLED CROPS.</h3>

-

-<p>In former years a large percentage of the crimson-clover acreage

-was seeded in corn or other intertilled crops at or shortly after the

-time of the last cultivation. In most of the crimson-clover area it

-is possible to make such a seeding, obtain a good growth during the

-fall and early spring, and mow or plow under the clover in time, for

-breaking up the land for another crop of corn. This has been the

-standard method of growing this clover, and it is still the leading

-practice in many of the older sections. Corn in the summer with

-crimson clover in the winter is a cheap and convenient method of

-growing a cash crop and a restorative crop the same year, and the

-reputation of crimson clover as a crop increaser is largely based on

-this simple rotation. Instances are by no means rare where the yield

-of corn has been gradually increased from 10 bushels per acre to as

-high as 70 bushels by this means.</p>

-

-<p>The difficulty with this method is the possibility of the stand of

-young clover failing through drought. The growing corn makes a

-heavy demand on the soil moisture, and if there is not enough moisture

-for both clover and corn the latter gets the larger share and the

-tender clover plants are likely to succumb. Because of the risk

-involved, farmers in the upland sections are seeking other and more

-reliable methods of seeding, and the sowing of crimson clover in

-corn is gradually decreasing.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[ 7 ]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Where the danger from fall drought is not serious, crimson clover

-may be sown in corn at the time of the last cultivation or when the

-corn leaves have just begun to wither. South of central Virginia

-there is likely to be much hot weather after the corn is laid by, in

-which case it is best to delay the seeding of the clover until after

-the first rain. The appearance of a field of crimson clover seeded in

-corn the previous summer is shown in <a href="#fig3">figure 3</a>.</p>

-

-<div class="fig_center" style="width: 462px;"><a id="fig3"></a>

-<img src="images/fig3.png" width="462" height="280" alt="" />

-<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 3.</span>&mdash;Crimson clover in an old cornfield. The clover was seeded in the corn at the

-last cultivation. A fodder stack is to be observed in the middle foreground. The

-cornstalks have been removed to avoid difficulty in mowing the clover.</div>

-</div>

-

-<p>South of southern Virginia crimson clover can be seeded in cotton,

-provided the field is free from crab-grass and other weeds and the

-soil is not too dry. In the extreme north of the cotton belt the seed

-may be sown at the last working of the cotton; farther south this

-occurs too early and it is necessary to wait for a rain, which often

-comes at about the time of the first picking.</p>

-

-<p>Crimson clover may be seeded in practically any of the cultivated

-truck crops which receive their last cultivation from 8 to 12 weeks

-before the first frost. It is not practicable to seed the clover in late

-potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other root crops, as the digging in the

-fall practically destroys the clover.</p>

-

-<p>Ordinarily, crimson clover does not succeed when sown in cowpeas,

-sorghum, or watermelons, owing to the heavy shade cast by

-these crops. It can, however, be seeded in tobacco, tomatoes, cultivated

-soy beans, and cantaloupes.</p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="SEEDING_AFTER"></a>SEEDING AFTER AN EARLY-MATURING CROP.</h3>

-

-<p>Seeding crimson clover in an intertilled crop is successful mostly

-on sandy soils, which can easily be prepared for seeding even in mid-summer.

-On clay soils and in weedy fields this method of seeding

-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[ 8 ]</a></span>

-is likely to be unsatisfactory. Such soils are usually hard and dry

-in August and can with difficulty be brought into condition for a

-seed bed, with the result that a large percentage of such seedings

-fail. A better plan on clay soils, and on sandy soils in many cases,

-is to seed the crimson clover on specially prepared ground from

-which all other crops have been removed. Such ground can be

-made as fine and firm as desired. Furthermore, the clover after

-planting does not have to compete with another crop for the soil

-moisture. This method is somewhat more troublesome than planting

-in intertilled crops, but the greater certainty of getting a stand

-more than offsets the greater cost. Planting crimson clover on

-specially prepared ground has extended the culture of the plant

-to regions where it was not hitherto grown and is increasing the

-reliability of the crop in sections where it has been long established.</p>

-

-<p>In the ordinary rotation, crimson clover follows a crop of small

-grain. However, it may follow any crop that is removed 8 to 10

-weeks before frost, or it may be seeded on fallow ground. Ground

-from which early potatoes have been removed is especially favorable

-for the establishment of a stand of this clover. The residual

-effect of the fertilizers used on potatoes is partially responsible for

-this, while the well-settled seed bed, which requires only leveling

-and harrowing, also presents favorable conditions for the crimson-clover

-seedlings.</p>

-

-<p>In many parts of the South crimson clover can be seeded in corn

-stubble if an early variety of corn has been used. Although there

-is some risk that the clover may not make enough growth before

-winter if seeding is delayed until the corn is harvested, the danger

-of losing the stand is not as great as if the clover were seeded

-earlier, while the corn was standing.</p>

-

-<p>Crimson clover is sometimes seeded after a grass or clover crop

-if the rainfall in July is sufficient to cause the sod to decay. In

-the far South it can be planted after peanuts, while in all sections

-it can be sown as a catch crop on land where cotton or other crops

-have died early in the season.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="REQUIREMENTS_FOR_OBTAINING_A_STAND" id="REQUIREMENTS_FOR_OBTAINING_A_STAND">REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING A STAND.</a></h2>

-

-

-<p>Probably the difficulty most commonly experienced in growing

-crimson clover is failure to obtain a satisfactory stand. Sometimes

-the seed does not germinate well; more commonly good germination

-is secured, but the seedlings wither and die before they can become

-established. Frequently not more than 50 per cent of the plants

-survive the first three weeks, while a complete failure of the crop is

-a common risk even in the sections where crimson clover is most

-widely grown.</p>

-

-<p>The most common cause of failure to obtain a stand is hot, dry

-weather after planting. The seedlings of crimson clover are tender,

-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[ 9 ]</a></span>

-succulent, and shallow rooted and are easily killed by lack of moisture.

-Unfortunately, in most of the crimson-clover area the weather

-during late August and early September is very likely to be hot and

-droughty, making the planting of the clover at that time rather

-hazardous. Some farmers attempt to avoid this difficulty by planting

-either in early summer or in October, after the fall rains; there

-is danger, however,

-that the plants will

-make too much or

-too little growth to

-survive the winter.

-In the long run it is

-probably better to

-plant at the regular

-time and depend

-upon thorough preparation

-of the seed

-bed to offset any

-deficiency in the

-rainfall.</p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="SOILS"></a>SOILS.</h3>

-

-<p>Crimson clover

-can be grown successfully

-on almost any

-type of soil if it is

-reasonably rich, well

-drained, and supplied

-with organic

-matter and the

-proper inoculating

-bacteria. Probably

-two-thirds of the

-crimson-clover acreage

-is found on the

-sandy soils of the

-Atlantic Coastal

-Plain, but the crop

-is not necessarily restricted

-to sandy

-soils and is in fact

-increasing in importance on the red-clay soils of the Piedmont region

-and in the limestone valleys of Virginia and Tennessee.</p>

-

-<div class="fig_right" style="width: 315px;"><a id="fig4"></a>

-<img src="images/fig4.png" width="315" height="557" alt="" />

-<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 4.</span>&mdash;a crimson-clover failure on ground too poor in

-humus.</div>

-</div>

-

-<p>Crimson clover has been an important factor in increasing yields

-on soils that have been abused, but it is not a crop for land which is

-naturally very poor. It does not do well on rough, newly cleared

-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[ 10 ]</a></span>

-areas, raw subsoil, Hard, dry clay, or sterile sand. (<a href="#fig4">Fig. 4.</a>) For

-such soils soy beans, cowpeas, and velvet beans are better suited and

-should be used for the first three or four years until crimson clover

-can be successfully grown. Crimson clover can be made to grow

-on poor soils, provided they are specially prepared by liming, manuring,

-and inoculating. In general, however, crimson clover is a crop

-for maintaining soils which are already fairly productive rather

-than one for inducing productivity in soils where it is quite lacking.

-If there is any doubt whether the soil is suitable for crimson clover,

-a small plat should be prepared under field conditions and planted

-one year for trial.</p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="PREPARATION"></a>PREPARATION OF THE SEED BED.</h3>

-

-<p>To secure a full, even stand of crimson clover with any degree of

-regularity the seed bed should be well and thoroughly prepared.

-The soil should be firm, moist, well settled, and fine on top. Only

-indifferent success can possibly be expected if the seed is scattered on

-land which is loose, dry,

-and full of hard lumps

-and trash. A loose seed

-bed dries out quickly,

-heaves during the winter,

-and on some soils blows

-and washes badly.</p>

-

-<div class="fig_left" style="width: 286px;"><a id="fig5"></a>

-<img src="images/fig5.png" width="286" height="151" alt="" />

-<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 5.</span>&mdash;A corrugated roller or pulverizer, an excellent

-implement for preparing the seed bed for

-crimson clover.</div>

-</div>

-

-<p>On the other hand, the

-seed bed should not be

-too hard, for although

-this clover often grows

-successfully on soil which

-would be too solid for corn, there must be at| least enough loose soil on

-the surface to cover the seed. Thorough preparation is the very best

-insurance against failure of the stand through drought or winterkilling,

-and the most successful growers sow crimson clover on land

-as well prepared as that for wheat.</p>

-

-<p>To secure a fine, firm seed bed without drying out the surface soil,

-the land should be prepared with as few operations as possible. A

-single working when the soil is in a moist, crumbly condition is

-better than half a dozen workings when the soil is too wet or too

-dry. In very sandy soils, or soils which do not form a crust, the

-only preparation needed is to keep down the weeds.</p>

-

-<p>An excellent tool for making the seed bed is the corrugated roller

-or pulverizer (<a href="#fig5">fig. 5</a>). This implement is an improvement over the

-old plain roller for breaking clods and is unexcelled for keeping the

-surface soil moist. It can be used after plowing and again before

-planting, and even after planting if the soil needs to be compacted.

-Rolling of some kind to firm the soil is especially important on sandy

-soils, but it is equally beneficial on clay soils if they are cloddy.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[ 11 ]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>When clover is seeded in an intertilled crop, such as corn, cotton,

-or tomatoes, the customary cultivation received by these crops is

-ordinarily sufficient preparation for crimson clover. In sandy soil

-the clover is often seeded without any immediate preparation, but a

-light stirring with a harrow-toothed cultivator is desirable if the

-ground is hard. If the clover is to be used for hay or seed, the preceding

-crop should be laid by level rather than in ridges. This will

-facilitate cutting the clover.</p>

-

-<p>Where crimson clover is seeded after a crop of small grain, the

-stubble should be plowed or disked as soon as possible after the

-grain is cut. Stubble land dries out quickly, partly because the soil

-is suddenly left bare and partly because of the drain on the soil

-moisture by the crops of ragweed and other coarse-growing weeds

-which always follow a grain crop. Unless the soil is cultivated at

-once it becomes very difficult to obtain anything like an ideal seed

-bed for crimson clover. This difficulty is usually more pronounced

-after oats and barley than after rye and wheat. Ordinarily the best

-practice is to disk the grain stubble within a week after harvest and

-harrow every week, or at least after every rain, in order to settle the

-ground, destroy the weeds, and assist in holding the moisture pending

-the time of seeding the clover. Plowing the stubble is more expensive

-than disking and requires that the ground be allowed to settle

-for a month or six weeks in order to secure a firm seed bed. Plowing

-is an advantage in a wet season, because plowed ground dries readily;

-it is a disadvantage in a dry season for the same reason.</p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="FERTILIZERS"></a>FERTILIZERS.</h3>

-

-<p>On moderately rich soil the fertilizer applied to the preceding

-crop is sufficient to produce a good crop of crimson clover. This is

-especially true where the clover follows such crops as potatoes or

-tomatoes, which ordinarily are heavily treated with fertilizers. It is

-important to realize, however, that crimson clover has a very short

-period of growth, and that to make a vigorous growth it must have a

-good supply of plant food. On sandy soils where fertilizers have not

-recently been applied it is often the practice to apply from 150 to 200

-pounds of acid phosphate, with some potash fertilizer if it can be

-afforded. On clay soils 200 or 300 pounds per acre of acid phosphate

-ordinarily are sufficient. On many soils a light application of nitrate

-of soda will assist materially in giving the young clover plants a

-good start and often will enable them to withstand the effects of a

-late drought or severe winter which otherwise might have injured

-the stand. If the seeding has been delayed, as by waiting for suitable

-rains, an application of not more than 75 pounds of nitrate of soda

-per acre will stimulate the young plants and enable them to make a

-better growth before winter.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[ 12 ]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Fertilizer is usually applied at seeding time, but a few farmers have

-been found who apply it as a top-dressing very early the following

-summer, giving as a reason that there is then no loss from winter

-leaching and that by this method the plants are nourished at the

-time they are making their most vigorous growth. Such top-dressings

-of fertilizer should not be made while the leaves are wet with rain

-or dew. Where stable manure is applied to crimson clover very

-marked results follow. It may be spread just before seeding when

-the clover is not grown in an intertilled crop, or it may be applied as

-a top-dressing in winter or very early spring.</p>

-

-<p>The more vigorous the growth that can be induced by the application

-of suitable fertilizers the more marked will be the increase in

-the yield of the succeeding crops. On soil in a low state of productivity

-the use of a reasonable amount of fertilizer will often enable

-a successful crop of clover and succeeding crops to be produced, where

-had not the fertilizers been applied the clover would have failed.

-Furthermore, the following crop, particularly if it be corn, would

-also fail to give the increased yield which follows a successful stand

-of crimson clover.</p>

-

-<p>An application of barnyard manure will be found to be especially

-effective in obtaining a stand of crimson clover on any thin, galled

-spots in the field. The manure should be worked into the ground

-before seeding, and, if possible, a second application as a top-dressing

-should be given a day or two after planting. The top-dressing

-stimulates the seedlings and if strawy helps to protect them from the

-August sun.</p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="LIME"></a>LIME.</h3>

-

-<p>Crimson clover is not as dependent on lime as red clover and

-alfalfa, being more like alsike clover in this respect. It does not

-thrive on soils which are very "sour," but on well-drained soils in

-a productive condition crimson clover frequently makes a vigorous

-growth, even though the soil may show a high lime requirement.

-The stands are usually more uniformly good over the limed parts

-of such fields than on the unlimed parts, although it is sometimes

-questionable whether the benefit derived from liming is profitable.

-Liming is more often desirable on clay soils than on sandy soils,

-and usually gives better results when used in conjunction with fertilizers

-than when used alone. On light sandy soils deficient in humus

-burnt lime may be actually injurious. In considering the advisability

-of applying lime one must not lose sight of the need of lime on the

-part of such other crops as corn, cantaloupes, or peaches, which

-are either grown with or follow the clover. Inasmuch as the effect

-of liming varies greatly in different localities, it is suggested that

-small plats be treated experimentally at different rates before any

-considerable areas are limed.</p>

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[ 13 ]</a></span></p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="INOCULATION"></a>INOCULATION.</h3>

-

-<p>A large part of the value of all clovers lies in their ability to

-utilize the nitrogen of the air and add it to the soil. When

-grown on rich land, the clovers, like many other plants, use the

-nitrogen already present in the soil and are not stimulated to contribute

-any to their own support or to the support of other crops.

-To enable the clover to use the nitrogen in the air the presence of

-the proper nodule-forming bacteria in the soil is necessary.</p>

-

-<p>Fortunately, most of the soils in the crimson-clover sections appear

-to be already inoculated, and artificial inoculation is not often

-necessary, except on soils new to the crop. Crimson clover is inoculated

-by the same strain of bacteria which occurs on the roots of

-the other true clovers; consequently, a field which has produced a

-good stand of red, mammoth, alsike, white, hop, Carolina, rabbit's-foot,

-or buffalo clover is usually inoculated sufficiently for crimson

-clover. Sweet clover, Japan clover, and bur clover are not true

-clovers and are inoculated by a different strain of bacteria.</p>

-

-<p>The importance of inoculation is well shown by an experiment

-conducted by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. In

-this experiment yields of 4,057 and 6,100 pounds of crimson-clover

-hay were secured on inoculated soils, while on corresponding areas

-which were not inoculated the yields were 761 pounds on one area

-and nothing on the other.</p>

-

-<p>The soil can be inoculated artificially by means of pure cultures

-of the bacteria or by the transfer of a small quantity of soil from

-another clover field.<a name="FNanchor_2" id="FNanchor_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> The latter method is the more certain, but is

-open to the danger of introducing noxious weeds, insects, and plant

-diseases, especially if the soil is brought from a distance. The

-presence of stem-rot in many sections makes the use of soil especially

-dangerous. This disease can, be carried with the soil from field to

-field.</p>

-

-<div class="footnote">

-

-<p><a name="Footnote_2" id="Footnote_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Sufficient pure culture for inoculating seed for 1 acre can be secured free from the

-United States Department of Agriculture. Full directions for using the culture accompany

-each bottle. Directions for inoculating by the soil-transfer method can also be

-obtained from this Department.</p></div>

-

-

-

-

-<h2><a name="SEEDING" id="SEEDING">SEEDING.</a></h2>

-

-

-<h3><a id="TIME_OF_SEEDING"></a>TIME OF SEEDING.</h3>

-

-<p>Crimson clover is usually sown between August 15 and October 1,

-the general rule being to plant about 60 days before the first killing

-frost is expected. South of Virginia crimson clover can be seeded as

-late as November 1, although if planted late more seed should be

-used and a light dressing of nitrate of soda applied, in order to

-stimulate the young plants. Seeding earlier than August 1 is seldom

-advisable unless the crop is sown with some other crop the shade of

-which will hold it back.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[ 14 ]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>The exact date of planting depends almost entirely upon the moisture

-content of the soil. The principal condition to avoid is planting

-when the soil contains just enough moisture to germinate the seeds,

-but not enough to keep the plants growing. Usually it is better to

-plant when the soil is quite dry than when it is slightly moist, for in

-dry soil the seeds, if properly buried, lie without germinating and

-are ready to grow vigorously at the first rainfall. The most favorable

-time for seeding is just before or just after a good rain, when the

-soil is moist enough to form a ball in the hand.</p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="RATE_OF_SEEDING"></a>RATE OF SEEDING.</h3>

-

-<p>The ordinary rate of seeding crimson clover is 15 pounds per acre,

-although the rate varies according to conditions. From 12 to 15

-pounds per acre are usually sufficient when growing the crop for seed

-or when the soil is unusually rich. On poor soil, dry soil, or on soil

-which has not previously produced crimson clover 18 to 22 pounds

-of seed give better assurance of a stand. Heavy seeding is also desirable

-when planting late in the season or when a heavy crop is

-wanted for green manure early in the spring.</p>

-

-<p>Theoretically, 2 pounds of seed per acre would provide six plants

-for every square foot, which is a satisfactory stand. Under ordinary

-circumstances, however, it is necessary to allow for some of the seed

-being too deep, or too shallow, or failing to germinate, and for a

-certain percentage of winterkilling. It is also well to have a fairly

-thick stand of the young plants, so that the ground may be well

-covered during the early fall and thus prevent soil washing and the

-growth of winter weeds.</p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="METHODS_OF_SEEDING"></a>METHODS OF SEEDING.</h3>

-

-<p>The most common method of seeding crimson clover in intertilled

-crops is to scatter the seed broadcast with a rotary seeder or by hand.

-(<a href="#fig6">Fig. 6.</a>) In order to place the seed on a fresh, moist seed bed it is

-commonly broadcasted immediately behind the cultivator at the last

-cultivation and is covered 'at once by a second cultivator. In tall

-corn the seed may be sown from horseback, the ears of the horse being

-covered with small bags to prevent the entrance of the flying seed.

-Slightly more seed is required when seeding in tall corn, as some seed

-catches in the corn plants. When seeding in cotton care must be taken

-to avoid injury to the opening bolls, which are easily knocked off or

-torn. This is best done by seeding by hand, covering the seed with a

-piece of brush dragged down the rows.</p>

-

-<p>In low-growing truck crops and on fallow ground crimson clover

-can be seeded with a wheelbarrow seeder. This implement distributes

-the seed more evenly than can be done by hand or with the rotary

-seeder, especially when planting a mixture of crops. The wheelbarrow

-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[ 15 ]</a></span>

-seeder being somewhat awkward to handle is better adapted

-to smooth, level fields than to hillsides.</p>

-

-<div class="fig_center" style="width: 465px;"><a id="fig6"></a>

-<img src="images/fig6.png" width="465" height="275" alt="" />

-<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 6.</span>&mdash;Seeding crimson clover in corn at the last cultivation.</div>

-</div>

-

-<p>Probably the very best method of seeding crimson clover is with

-the special clover or alfalfa drill. Where enough clover is grown

-to warrant its use this implement is to be highly recommended. The

-seed is sown in 4-inch rows at just the proper depth and with the

-right pressure, and the fertilizer is placed exactly under each row,

-where it will be immediately available to the seedlings. Drilled

-clover requires less seed than broadcasted clover and produces a more

-even and certain stand.</p>

-

-<p>In place of the special clover drill an ordinary grain drill equipped

-with a clover-seed attachment can be used with good results. Special

-spouts should be arranged to lead from the clover-seed box back of

-the shoes or disks, in order to deposit the seed directly in the furrow.

-Chain furrow closers are best for covering the seed, as they leave

-the furrows broad and flat instead of <b>V</b> shaped and lessen the danger

-of the seedlings being covered with soil during a hard rain.</p>

-

-<p>For use in intertilled crops there are several types of 1-row drills,

-the best for this purpose being the 5-hoe drill equipped with press

-wheels.</p>

-

-<p>Crimson-clover seed must be covered, but not too deeply. In most

-soils it is not enough to depend on rain to effect a covering. An inch

-in sandy soils and half an inch in clay soils appear to be about the

-right depth. Shallow planting gives the best results in wet seasons

-and deep planting in time of drought. Broadcasted seed should be

-covered with a spike-tooth harrow or a weeder rather than a heavy

-harrow or a shovel cultivator. A harrow made of fairly stiff brush

-is often useful in loose soil.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[ 16 ]</a></span></p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="CHOICE_OF_SEED"></a>CHOICE OF SEED.</h3>

-

-<p>As a rule, fresh crimson-clover seed is of good viability, and failure

-to secure a stand is not often caused by failure of the seed to

-grow. Unlike most clovers, crimson-clover seed absorbs water readily

-and sprouts quickly. There are practically none of the hard

-seeds which are so frequent in red clover and sweet clover, and a

-germination of 90 per cent in 48 hour's is not uncommon. The seed

-deteriorates rapidly, however, and when more than 2 years old rarely

-shows a germination in excess of 50 per cent. Sometimes, when

-stocks of commercial seed are low, old seed finds its way to the market,

-and this, when planted, gives poor results. Old seed can usually be

-detected by the dull-brown appearance of the seed coat as contrasted

-with the bright, shiny, pinkish or greenish yellow color of fresh seed.

-Brown seed, however, is sometimes caused by weathering during harvest,

-and such seed is not objectionable unless the weathering has

-been excessive.</p>

-

-<p>A common impurity in crimson-clover seed is green, shrunken, and

-immature seed, caused by harvesting the crop before it is ripe. Crimson-clover

-seed does not germinate readily until it takes on a yellowish

-tinge; therefore, green seed should be rejected.</p>

-

-<p>Crimson-clover seed is larger and plumper than red-clover seed

-and if properly cleaned should not contain seeds of dodder or the

-smaller seeded weeds. Frequently, however, it does contain the seeds

-of field peppergrass, yellow trefoil, evening primrose, sheep sorrel,

-wild geranium, buttercups, mustards, and other weeds which blossom

-in early summer.</p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="UNHULLED"></a>UNHULLED SEED.</h3>

-

-<p>There is a growing belief among farmers that they are less likely

-to lose a stand of crimson clover through drought if they sow the seed

-in the hull rather than use the hulled seed as it ordinarily appears on

-the market. It is claimed that the hulls hold the moisture to some

-extent and carry the seedlings over the critical day or two following

-germination, while some farmers assert that the unhulled seeds require

-more moisture for germination, and the seeds therefore do not sprout

-until there is enough moisture in the soil to keep the plants growing.

-Unhulled seed is bulky and is not often handled by commercial seedsmen,

-although one large grower sells the unhulled seed in compressed,

-bales similar to small cotton bales. It usually can be secured from

-neighboring farmers, however, or is easily saved at home. The seed

-can be harvested with a stripper from the standing crop in the field

-or the mature crop can be cut and thrashed like an ordinary grain

-crop. For local planting on a small scale unhulled seed is the

-cheapest and most accessible form of crimson-clover seed.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[ 17 ]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Unhulled seed is somewhat difficult to sow, because the hairy hulls

-stick together in masses and can not be scattered uniformly. To

-avoid this trouble the seed may be mixed with moistened earth or

-with lime, or may be sown with a blower similar to those used on

-small forges. A better plan is to sow on a windy day, throwing the

-seed vertically into the air and allowing the wind to scatter it.</p>

-

-<p>Of unhulled seed of the best quality, 100 pounds contains about 1

-bushel (60 pounds) of clean seed. The common grades, however, are

-usually more chaffy and require 120 to 180 pounds to make a bushel.

-From 2 to 3 pounds of unhulled seed are therefore regarded as equivalent

-to 1 pound of hulled seed. A bushel of unhulled seed, even when

-well packed down, weighs only 6 to 10 pounds and contains about 4

-pounds of seed. The appearance of both hulled and unhulled crimson-clover

-seed is shown in <a href="#fig7">figure 7</a>.</p>

-

-<div class="fig_center" style="width: 461px;"><a id="fig7"></a>

-<img src="images/fig7.png" width="461" height="329" alt="" />

-<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 7.</span>&mdash;Hulled seed of crimson clover of a common commercial grade and unhulled

-seed gathered with a homemade stripper. (Natural size.)</div>

-</div>

-

-

-<h3><a id="NURSE_CROP"></a>USE OF A NURSE CROP.</h3>

-

-<p>In order to protect the crimson-clover seedlings from the hot sun

-of late August it is a common practice in some sections to plant with

-the clover a small quantity of some quick-growing crop like buckwheat,

-cowpeas, rape, or turnips. A thin stand of these heavier

-leaved plants furnishes an ideal shade for the young clover, and on

-soils which are inclined to bake it prevents the formation of a crust.

-The nurse crop must be seeded lightly, usually not more than half

-the regular rate, as the ordinary stand shades the ground so

-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[ 18 ]</a></span>

-completely as to destroy the crimson clover. On hot clay soil in the Piedmont

-region the chances of obtaining a stand of clover are about

-twice as good with a nurse crop as without one.</p>

-

-<p>Buckwheat is the principal nurse crop northward from Washington,

-D. C. A common rate of seeding is 2 to 3 pecks of buckwheat in

-15 pounds of crimson clover. If the planting can be made in July

-the buckwheat usually has time to ripen before frost and thus pay

-the cost of starting both stands.</p>

-

-<p>In the cotton belt cowpeas have been used successfully, especially

-when seeding on fallow ground. They are seeded broadcast at the

-rate of one-half bushel per acre. There is ordinarily not enough time

-for the cowpeas to mature, but they add to the value of the stand for

-fall pasturage and protect the clover from severe weather in the winter.

-Both cowpeas and buckwheat have the merit of being able to

-grow on poor soil.</p>

-

-<p>Dwarf Essex rape has been used as a nurse crop in a few cases

-where the clover was to be pastured by hogs or sheep in the fall.

-From 2 to 3 pounds of rape, sown in August, furnishes sufficient

-cover for a nurse crop. Cowhorn turnips, winter kale, and mustard

-are also satisfactory nurse crops if planted at a rate not exceeding

-1 pound of seed per acre. If the clover is to be saved for seed these

-latter crops are objectionable, as a few plants will live over winter

-and ripen at the same time as the clover.</p>

-

-<p>Where a nurse crop can not be grown conveniently, the crimson-clover

-seedlings can be protected from the sun by a light top-dressing

-of straw, spread just after the seed is sown.</p>

-

-

-<h3><a id="SEED_MIXTURES"></a>SEED MIXTURES.</h3>

-

-<p>Crimson clover is frequently grown in combination with winter

-grain, hairy vetch, or other forage crops having a similar period of

-growth. The mixed crop is less liable to lodge than the single crop,

-cures more readily in damp weather, and usually furnishes a heavier

-yield. Another advantage of the mixed crop is that if either should

-fail the other will serve as a cover crop during the winter and bring

-some return the following spring. Mixed crops are not desirable

-if the clover is to be saved for seed.</p>

-

-<p>South of central Virginia crimson clover is usually grown in combination

-with winter oats. An early variety of oats, such as the

-Fulghum, or a late variety of clover, such as the white blooming, is

-usually the best, as the oat crop matures somewhat later than the ordinary

-crimson clover. The customary rate of seeding is 15 pounds

-of the clover and 2&frac12; bushels of oats per acre. In Delaware and

-eastern Maryland the most popular companion crop for crimson

-clover is winter wheat, although barley makes a desirable hay crop

-and is sometimes used. Eye is not desirable for hay, but it is

-<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[ 19 ]</a></span>

-probably the best of the grains for green manure, as it is hardy, vigorous,

-and starts growth early in the spring. Rye and wheat are seeded at

-the rate of 1 bushel per acre with the customary quantity of crimson

-clover. The accompanying illustration (<a href="#fig8">fig. 8</a>) shows a field seeded

-to a mixture of crimson clover and wheat. Usually the grain is

-well headed, but in the milk or soft-dough stage, when the clover is

-ready to cut, the yield of the mixed crimson clover and grain

-is often 25 to 50 per

-cent greater than

-that of the clover

-alone.</p>

-

-<div class="fig_right" style="width: 315px;"><a id="fig8"></a>

-<img src="images/fig8.png" width="315" height="420" alt="" />

-<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 8.</span>&mdash;Crimson clover and wheat in mixture. In the

-foreground the crop has been cut and fed green to stock.

-The remainder was cut the next day for hay. The grain

-prevents the crimson clover from lodging.</div>

-</div>

-

-<p>Hairy vetch and

-crimson clover are

-sometimes grown together,

-seeding at the

-rate of 20 pounds

-and 10 pounds per

-acre, respectively.

-As both these plants

-are likely to lodge in

-good soil, however,

-one of the grains is

-usually included, a

-common seeding

-mixture being oats 2

-bushels, hairy vetch

-12 to 15 pounds, and

-crimson clover 5

-pounds. Bur clover,

-black medic, and

-other winter-growing

-legumes are

-sometimes found in

-mixtures with crimson

-clover, although such mixtures generally occur by accident rather

-than intent. Black medic and crimson clover make' a particularly

-good combination on rich soil.</p>

-

-<p>In most of the crimson-clover area the cultivated grasses, such as

-timothy, redtop, and orchard grass, are not commonly grown. However,

-where these grasses flourish they may well be seeded at the

-same time as the crimson clover, provided the latter is planted not

-earlier than September 15. In some sections Johnson grass and

-Bermuda grass make useful combinations with crimson clover, the

-grasses making most of their growth in the summer and the clover

-in the fall and spring.</p>

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[ 20 ]</a></span></p>

-

-

-

-

-<h2><a name="TREATMENT_OF_THE_STAND" id="TREATMENT_OF_THE_STAND">TREATMENT OF THE STAND.</a></h2>

-

-

-<p>Ordinarily no special treatment is required after seeding and the

-clover goes into the winter without any further handling. If the

-growth is so rank that there is danger of the plants being too succulent

-to survive the winter, the tops can be reduced by light grazing

-with small animals, such as calves, sheep, or chickens, or by mowing

-with the cutter bar of the mowing machine set high. If the stand is

-backward, it may be stimulated by a light application of nitrate of

-soda. It is said that a thin stand can be thickened by grazing lightly

-with sheep, as the grazing induces heavier stooling. The aim should

-be to carry the clover into the winter with well-hardened leafy stems

-and with a well-established root system to withstand heaving out in

-the spring.</p>

-

-<p>In fields which are to be saved for seed a wise precaution is to go

-over them early in the spring and chop out the weeds. If wild onion

-and other weeds are chopped off in April, they do not make enough

-growth by May to contaminate the seed crop.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="MALADIES" id="MALADIES">MALADIES.</a></h2>

-

-

-<p>The only disease seriously affecting crimson clover is the clover

-stem-rot, root-rot, or wilt, a disease resembling the stem-rot, or wilt,

-of lettuce and other plants. This disease is prevalent in nearly all

-the crimson-clover States and sometimes does considerable damage.

-The stem-rot affects the clover at all seasons, but is more noticeable

-in the spring, when it sometimes causes large spots of clover suddenly

-to wilt and fall. Occasionally an entire field is affected, but

-the disease is most prevalent in low, rich spots. Examination of the

-plants discloses a rotting off or decay of the stems close to the ground,

-followed immediately by the appearance on the stems of small black

-lumps, or sclerotia, about the size of clover seed. These sclerotia are

-a means of spreading the disease and are often harvested in the hay

-or in the seed crop. The only known remedy for the stem-rot is to

-cease growing clover or alfalfa on an infested field for three or four

-years, substituting cowpeas or soy beans. Seed from fields known to

-be infested should, of course, be avoided.</p>

-

-<p>No insects are known to affect crimson clover seriously, nor are

-weeds of great importance in clover planted on clean fields. When

-planted in cultivated crops or in poorly prepared ground crimson

-clover is often seriously damaged by a rank growth of chickweed,

-knawel (moss weed), winter cress, and other winter-growing annuals.</p>

-

-

-<p class="tdr">WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1920</p>

-

-

-<hr class="full" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[ 21 ]</a></span></p>

-

-<div class="transnotes">

-

-<p>Transcriber Note</p>

-

-<p>Minor typos have been corrected. Illustrations were moved to prevent

-splitting paragraphs. Produced from files generously made available

-by USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant materials are placed

-in the Public Domain.</p>

-

-</div>

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-<pre>

-

-

-

-

-

-End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142:

-Growing Crimson Clover, by Leonard Wheeler Kephart

-

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-</pre>

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+    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" />
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+    <title>
+      USDA Farmers' Bulletin 1142: Growing Crimson Clover, by L. W. Kephart, a Project Gutenberg eBook.
+     </title>
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+.fnanchor         {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;}
+
+    </style>
+  </head>
+<body>
+<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 63166 ***</div>
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p>&nbsp;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[ 1 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 629px;">
+<img src="images/cover.png" width="629" height="521" alt="USDA Farmers' Bulletin 1142: Growing Crimson Clover, by L. W. Kephart" />
+</div>
+
+
+<div class="bbox smaller tdc" style="width: 15em; margin: 0 auto;">
+FARMERS' BULLETIN 1142<br />
+UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE<br />
+GROWING<br />
+CRIMSON<br />
+CLOVER</div>
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[ 2 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="bbox" style="width: 30em; padding: 12px; margin: 0 auto;">
+
+<div class="dropcap">C</div>
+
+<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">C</span>rimson clover is a handsome fall-planted
+annual, widely cultivated in the Middle Atlantic
+and Southeastern States for forage, a cover crop,
+and green manure.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is commonly sown in corn at the
+last cultivation. If the soil is heavy, a better practice
+is to sow after a crop of small grain or on other land
+which can be specially prepared.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover will grow on poorer soil than most
+clovers and is not particularly dependent upon lime.
+For this reason it has been widely used for restoring
+the productivity of soils which have been abused. A
+more important function is to maintain crop yields
+on soils which are already moderately rich.</p>
+
+<p>The most common difficulty in growing crimson
+clover is the killing of the young stands by drought.
+This is best prevented by the preparation of a fine,
+moist, and firmly compacted seed bed.</p>
+
+<p>August and September are the best months for
+sowing crimson clover, the exact date depending
+upon the condition of the soil. Either hulled or unhulled
+seed may be used, the latter giving somewhat
+greater certainty of a stand.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is often sown with a nurse crop of
+buckwheat or cowpeas, to protect it from the sun.
+A light covering of straw is also effective.</p>
+
+<p>Combinations of crimson clover with oats, hairy
+vetch, or other fall-sown forage crops give somewhat
+higher yields and a surer stand than crimson clover
+alone.</p>
+
+<p>No insects trouble crimson clover seriously, and
+the only severe disease is the stem-rot, or wilt.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="bbox smaller tdc" style="width: 20em; margin: 12px auto; padding: 12px;">
+Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry<br />
+WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief<br />
+Washington, D. C. August, 1920<br />
+</div>
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[ 3 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<h1>GROWING CRIMSON CLOVER.<a name="FNanchor_1" id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h1>
+
+
+<p class="caption3nb pmb2"><span class="smcap">L. W. Kephart</span>,<br />
+<span class="smaller"><i>Scientific Assistant, Office of Forage-Crop Investigations.</i></span></p>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+
+<p><a name="Footnote_1" id="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> This bulletin is a revision of Farmers' Bulletin 550, entitled "Crimson Clover:
+Growing the Crop," by J. M. Westgate, formerly Agronomist in Charge of Clover
+Investigations, Office of Forage-Crop Investigations. The illustrations and some of the
+subject matter of the old bulletin are retained in the present issue.</p></div>
+
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS.</a></h2>
+
+
+<table class="tblcont" summary="ToC">
+<tr>
+  <td></td>
+  <td class="smaller tdr">Page.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">History and adaptations</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#HISTORY_AND_ADAPTATIONS">4</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Varieties</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#VARIETIES">5</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Use in the rotation</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#USE_IN_THE_ROTATION">6</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Seeding in intertilled crops</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEEDING_IN_INTERTILLED_CROPS">6</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Seeding after an early-maturing crop</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEEDING_AFTER">7</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Requirements for obtaining a stand</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#REQUIREMENTS_FOR_OBTAINING_A_STAND">8</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Soils</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SOILS">9</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Preparation of the seed bed</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#PREPARATION">10</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Fertilizers</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#FERTILIZERS">11</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Lime</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#LIME">12</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Inoculation</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#INOCULATION">13</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Seeding</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEEDING">13</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Time of seeding</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#TIME_OF_SEEDING">13</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Rate of seeding</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#RATE_OF_SEEDING">14</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Methods of seeding</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#METHODS_OF_SEEDING">14</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Choice of seed</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHOICE_OF_SEED">16</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Unhulled seed</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#UNHULLED">16</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Use of a nurse crop</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#NURSE_CROP">17</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Seed mixtures</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEED_MIXTURES">18</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Treatment of the stand</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#TREATMENT_OF_THE_STAND">20</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Maladies</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#MALADIES">20</a></td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+
+<div class="dropcap">C</div>
+
+<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">C</span>rimson clover is an annual or winter annual true clover,
+resembling common red clover in size and general appearance,
+the most noticeable difference being the flower heads, which are long,
+narrow, and pointed instead of short, spherical, and compact (<a href="#fig1">fig. 1</a>).
+The individual flowers of this clover are commonly of a rich scarlet
+color, and as the heads are borne mostly on the ends of the stems,
+a field of crimson clover in full bloom presents a strikingly brilliant
+appearance. Because of the color of the flowers, crimson clover is
+often termed "scarlet clover," although it is also known, less commonly,
+as "French clover," "Italian clover," "German clover," "incarnate
+clover," and "annual clover." It is the only annual true
+clover that is of more than incidental agricultural importance in
+the eastern United States.</p>
+
+<p>Probably the most important characteristic of crimson clover is
+its ability to grow and make its crop during the fall and early spring,
+when the land is not occupied by the ordinary summer-grown crops.
+In sections where it succeeds, it can be sown following a grain crop
+or in an intertilled crop in late summer and is ready to harvest for
+hay, to pasture, or to turn under as green manure in time to plow
+the land for spring-seeded crops, such as corn or cotton. South of
+central Delaware it may even be cut for seed and the stubble plowed
+under in time for seeding a quick-maturing strain of corn. Because
+it can be grown during the offseason of the year, crimson clover
+is one of the most economical legumes for green manuring, and it has
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[ 4 ]</a></span>
+been largely used for that purpose in the regions to which it is
+adapted. The many uses to which this crop may be put merit a careful
+study of the best methods of establishing a stand of this clover on
+the farm.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 461px;"><a id="fig1"></a>
+<img src="images/fig1.png" width="461" height="609" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span>&mdash;A single plant of crimson clover.</div>
+</div>
+
+
+
+<h2><a id="HISTORY_AND_ADAPTATIONS"></a>HISTORY AND ADAPTATIONS.</h2>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is a native of Europe, where it is cultivated as a
+forage and green-manuring crop in Italy, France, Spain, Germany,
+Austria, and Great Britain. Large quantities of crimson-clover seed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[ 5 ]</a></span>
+are exported from Europe to the United States, especially from the
+districts of central France, where crimson clover is the premier leguminous
+forage plant.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover was introduced into this country as early as 1818,
+and the seed was widely distributed by the United States Patent
+Office in 1855. The plant was at first regarded more for its ornamental
+value than as a forage plant, however, and it was not until
+about 1880 that its value for agricultural purposes began to be
+appreciated.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_right" style="width: 310px;"><a id="fig2"></a>
+<img src="images/fig2.png" width="310" height="293" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 2.</span>&mdash;Map of a part of the United States, showing the
+region where crimson clover is most widely grown.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>At present crimson clover is grown most widely in the lighter sandy
+areas of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, where the soil is not very rich
+and the winters are not severe. (<a href="#fig2">Fig. 2.</a>) The plant does not withstand
+either extreme
+cold or extreme heat,
+and its culture is
+therefore limited to
+regions which enjoy
+at some time during
+the year a long period
+of relatively
+mild, moist weather.
+Ordinarily, this
+clover does not survive
+the winter in
+latitudes north of
+southern Pennsylvania,
+while in some
+of the Southern
+States it is frequently
+killed by dry, hot
+weather in the fall
+or spring. It succeeds well in the humid regions near the Gulf of
+Mexico and in the Pacific Northwest, but in these areas it is not
+widely grown.</p>
+
+<p>Normally, crimson clover is a winter annual comparable to winter
+wheat; that is, it is planted in the fall, lies more or less dormant
+over winter, grows rapidly in the spring, and dies, after going to seed,
+early in the summer. Where the summers are not too hot it can be
+planted in the spring and grown as a summer crop, but for this purpose
+other clovers are usually preferred.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="VARIETIES" id="VARIETIES">VARIETIES.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>Crimson clover is exceedingly variable both in color of flower and
+in time of maturity. These variations are particularly noticeable in
+fields planted from a mixed lot of seed, the flowers presenting a
+range in color from nearly pure white to a deep purplish red and the
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[ 6 ]</a></span>
+seeds a difference in date of ripening of more than a month. Since
+crimson clover is thought to be mainly self-pollinated, it is easy to
+fix these qualities by selection and to establish definite varieties.</p>
+
+<p>In Europe six or seven different varieties of crimson clover are
+recognized and sold by seedsmen, varying from extra early crimson
+flowered to, extra late white flowered and from very hardy to non-hardy.
+By the use of a succession of these varieties the European
+farmer is able to spread his harvest over six or seven weeks instead of
+having it concentrated within a few days, as in America. Similarly,
+the culture of the plant has been extended northward from Italy to
+Sweden by means of hardy strains. A wild form of crimson clover
+having yellowish flowers and hairy foliage occurs in southern and
+eastern Europe and in England, but it is not of economic value.</p>
+
+<p>In America no sharply defined varieties of crimson clover are recognized,
+except a white-blooming variety which is sold in the South
+and is two weeks later than the ordinary crimson-flowered sort.
+Hardy strains have been developed and used in a small way in
+Massachusetts and Ohio, but these are not commercially available.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="USE_IN_THE_ROTATION" id="USE_IN_THE_ROTATION">USE IN THE ROTATION.</a></h2>
+
+
+<h3><a id="SEEDING_IN_INTERTILLED_CROPS"></a>SEEDING IN INTERTILLED CROPS.</h3>
+
+<p>In former years a large percentage of the crimson-clover acreage
+was seeded in corn or other intertilled crops at or shortly after the
+time of the last cultivation. In most of the crimson-clover area it
+is possible to make such a seeding, obtain a good growth during the
+fall and early spring, and mow or plow under the clover in time, for
+breaking up the land for another crop of corn. This has been the
+standard method of growing this clover, and it is still the leading
+practice in many of the older sections. Corn in the summer with
+crimson clover in the winter is a cheap and convenient method of
+growing a cash crop and a restorative crop the same year, and the
+reputation of crimson clover as a crop increaser is largely based on
+this simple rotation. Instances are by no means rare where the yield
+of corn has been gradually increased from 10 bushels per acre to as
+high as 70 bushels by this means.</p>
+
+<p>The difficulty with this method is the possibility of the stand of
+young clover failing through drought. The growing corn makes a
+heavy demand on the soil moisture, and if there is not enough moisture
+for both clover and corn the latter gets the larger share and the
+tender clover plants are likely to succumb. Because of the risk
+involved, farmers in the upland sections are seeking other and more
+reliable methods of seeding, and the sowing of crimson clover in
+corn is gradually decreasing.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[ 7 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Where the danger from fall drought is not serious, crimson clover
+may be sown in corn at the time of the last cultivation or when the
+corn leaves have just begun to wither. South of central Virginia
+there is likely to be much hot weather after the corn is laid by, in
+which case it is best to delay the seeding of the clover until after
+the first rain. The appearance of a field of crimson clover seeded in
+corn the previous summer is shown in <a href="#fig3">figure 3</a>.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 462px;"><a id="fig3"></a>
+<img src="images/fig3.png" width="462" height="280" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 3.</span>&mdash;Crimson clover in an old cornfield. The clover was seeded in the corn at the
+last cultivation. A fodder stack is to be observed in the middle foreground. The
+cornstalks have been removed to avoid difficulty in mowing the clover.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>South of southern Virginia crimson clover can be seeded in cotton,
+provided the field is free from crab-grass and other weeds and the
+soil is not too dry. In the extreme north of the cotton belt the seed
+may be sown at the last working of the cotton; farther south this
+occurs too early and it is necessary to wait for a rain, which often
+comes at about the time of the first picking.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover may be seeded in practically any of the cultivated
+truck crops which receive their last cultivation from 8 to 12 weeks
+before the first frost. It is not practicable to seed the clover in late
+potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other root crops, as the digging in the
+fall practically destroys the clover.</p>
+
+<p>Ordinarily, crimson clover does not succeed when sown in cowpeas,
+sorghum, or watermelons, owing to the heavy shade cast by
+these crops. It can, however, be seeded in tobacco, tomatoes, cultivated
+soy beans, and cantaloupes.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="SEEDING_AFTER"></a>SEEDING AFTER AN EARLY-MATURING CROP.</h3>
+
+<p>Seeding crimson clover in an intertilled crop is successful mostly
+on sandy soils, which can easily be prepared for seeding even in mid-summer.
+On clay soils and in weedy fields this method of seeding
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[ 8 ]</a></span>
+is likely to be unsatisfactory. Such soils are usually hard and dry
+in August and can with difficulty be brought into condition for a
+seed bed, with the result that a large percentage of such seedings
+fail. A better plan on clay soils, and on sandy soils in many cases,
+is to seed the crimson clover on specially prepared ground from
+which all other crops have been removed. Such ground can be
+made as fine and firm as desired. Furthermore, the clover after
+planting does not have to compete with another crop for the soil
+moisture. This method is somewhat more troublesome than planting
+in intertilled crops, but the greater certainty of getting a stand
+more than offsets the greater cost. Planting crimson clover on
+specially prepared ground has extended the culture of the plant
+to regions where it was not hitherto grown and is increasing the
+reliability of the crop in sections where it has been long established.</p>
+
+<p>In the ordinary rotation, crimson clover follows a crop of small
+grain. However, it may follow any crop that is removed 8 to 10
+weeks before frost, or it may be seeded on fallow ground. Ground
+from which early potatoes have been removed is especially favorable
+for the establishment of a stand of this clover. The residual
+effect of the fertilizers used on potatoes is partially responsible for
+this, while the well-settled seed bed, which requires only leveling
+and harrowing, also presents favorable conditions for the crimson-clover
+seedlings.</p>
+
+<p>In many parts of the South crimson clover can be seeded in corn
+stubble if an early variety of corn has been used. Although there
+is some risk that the clover may not make enough growth before
+winter if seeding is delayed until the corn is harvested, the danger
+of losing the stand is not as great as if the clover were seeded
+earlier, while the corn was standing.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is sometimes seeded after a grass or clover crop
+if the rainfall in July is sufficient to cause the sod to decay. In
+the far South it can be planted after peanuts, while in all sections
+it can be sown as a catch crop on land where cotton or other crops
+have died early in the season.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="REQUIREMENTS_FOR_OBTAINING_A_STAND" id="REQUIREMENTS_FOR_OBTAINING_A_STAND">REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING A STAND.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>Probably the difficulty most commonly experienced in growing
+crimson clover is failure to obtain a satisfactory stand. Sometimes
+the seed does not germinate well; more commonly good germination
+is secured, but the seedlings wither and die before they can become
+established. Frequently not more than 50 per cent of the plants
+survive the first three weeks, while a complete failure of the crop is
+a common risk even in the sections where crimson clover is most
+widely grown.</p>
+
+<p>The most common cause of failure to obtain a stand is hot, dry
+weather after planting. The seedlings of crimson clover are tender,
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[ 9 ]</a></span>
+succulent, and shallow rooted and are easily killed by lack of moisture.
+Unfortunately, in most of the crimson-clover area the weather
+during late August and early September is very likely to be hot and
+droughty, making the planting of the clover at that time rather
+hazardous. Some farmers attempt to avoid this difficulty by planting
+either in early summer or in October, after the fall rains; there
+is danger, however,
+that the plants will
+make too much or
+too little growth to
+survive the winter.
+In the long run it is
+probably better to
+plant at the regular
+time and depend
+upon thorough preparation
+of the seed
+bed to offset any
+deficiency in the
+rainfall.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="SOILS"></a>SOILS.</h3>
+
+<p>Crimson clover
+can be grown successfully
+on almost any
+type of soil if it is
+reasonably rich, well
+drained, and supplied
+with organic
+matter and the
+proper inoculating
+bacteria. Probably
+two-thirds of the
+crimson-clover acreage
+is found on the
+sandy soils of the
+Atlantic Coastal
+Plain, but the crop
+is not necessarily restricted
+to sandy
+soils and is in fact
+increasing in importance on the red-clay soils of the Piedmont region
+and in the limestone valleys of Virginia and Tennessee.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_right" style="width: 315px;"><a id="fig4"></a>
+<img src="images/fig4.png" width="315" height="557" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 4.</span>&mdash;a crimson-clover failure on ground too poor in
+humus.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>Crimson clover has been an important factor in increasing yields
+on soils that have been abused, but it is not a crop for land which is
+naturally very poor. It does not do well on rough, newly cleared
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[ 10 ]</a></span>
+areas, raw subsoil, Hard, dry clay, or sterile sand. (<a href="#fig4">Fig. 4.</a>) For
+such soils soy beans, cowpeas, and velvet beans are better suited and
+should be used for the first three or four years until crimson clover
+can be successfully grown. Crimson clover can be made to grow
+on poor soils, provided they are specially prepared by liming, manuring,
+and inoculating. In general, however, crimson clover is a crop
+for maintaining soils which are already fairly productive rather
+than one for inducing productivity in soils where it is quite lacking.
+If there is any doubt whether the soil is suitable for crimson clover,
+a small plat should be prepared under field conditions and planted
+one year for trial.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="PREPARATION"></a>PREPARATION OF THE SEED BED.</h3>
+
+<p>To secure a full, even stand of crimson clover with any degree of
+regularity the seed bed should be well and thoroughly prepared.
+The soil should be firm, moist, well settled, and fine on top. Only
+indifferent success can possibly be expected if the seed is scattered on
+land which is loose, dry,
+and full of hard lumps
+and trash. A loose seed
+bed dries out quickly,
+heaves during the winter,
+and on some soils blows
+and washes badly.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_left" style="width: 286px;"><a id="fig5"></a>
+<img src="images/fig5.png" width="286" height="151" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 5.</span>&mdash;A corrugated roller or pulverizer, an excellent
+implement for preparing the seed bed for
+crimson clover.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>On the other hand, the
+seed bed should not be
+too hard, for although
+this clover often grows
+successfully on soil which
+would be too solid for corn, there must be at| least enough loose soil on
+the surface to cover the seed. Thorough preparation is the very best
+insurance against failure of the stand through drought or winterkilling,
+and the most successful growers sow crimson clover on land
+as well prepared as that for wheat.</p>
+
+<p>To secure a fine, firm seed bed without drying out the surface soil,
+the land should be prepared with as few operations as possible. A
+single working when the soil is in a moist, crumbly condition is
+better than half a dozen workings when the soil is too wet or too
+dry. In very sandy soils, or soils which do not form a crust, the
+only preparation needed is to keep down the weeds.</p>
+
+<p>An excellent tool for making the seed bed is the corrugated roller
+or pulverizer (<a href="#fig5">fig. 5</a>). This implement is an improvement over the
+old plain roller for breaking clods and is unexcelled for keeping the
+surface soil moist. It can be used after plowing and again before
+planting, and even after planting if the soil needs to be compacted.
+Rolling of some kind to firm the soil is especially important on sandy
+soils, but it is equally beneficial on clay soils if they are cloddy.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[ 11 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>When clover is seeded in an intertilled crop, such as corn, cotton,
+or tomatoes, the customary cultivation received by these crops is
+ordinarily sufficient preparation for crimson clover. In sandy soil
+the clover is often seeded without any immediate preparation, but a
+light stirring with a harrow-toothed cultivator is desirable if the
+ground is hard. If the clover is to be used for hay or seed, the preceding
+crop should be laid by level rather than in ridges. This will
+facilitate cutting the clover.</p>
+
+<p>Where crimson clover is seeded after a crop of small grain, the
+stubble should be plowed or disked as soon as possible after the
+grain is cut. Stubble land dries out quickly, partly because the soil
+is suddenly left bare and partly because of the drain on the soil
+moisture by the crops of ragweed and other coarse-growing weeds
+which always follow a grain crop. Unless the soil is cultivated at
+once it becomes very difficult to obtain anything like an ideal seed
+bed for crimson clover. This difficulty is usually more pronounced
+after oats and barley than after rye and wheat. Ordinarily the best
+practice is to disk the grain stubble within a week after harvest and
+harrow every week, or at least after every rain, in order to settle the
+ground, destroy the weeds, and assist in holding the moisture pending
+the time of seeding the clover. Plowing the stubble is more expensive
+than disking and requires that the ground be allowed to settle
+for a month or six weeks in order to secure a firm seed bed. Plowing
+is an advantage in a wet season, because plowed ground dries readily;
+it is a disadvantage in a dry season for the same reason.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="FERTILIZERS"></a>FERTILIZERS.</h3>
+
+<p>On moderately rich soil the fertilizer applied to the preceding
+crop is sufficient to produce a good crop of crimson clover. This is
+especially true where the clover follows such crops as potatoes or
+tomatoes, which ordinarily are heavily treated with fertilizers. It is
+important to realize, however, that crimson clover has a very short
+period of growth, and that to make a vigorous growth it must have a
+good supply of plant food. On sandy soils where fertilizers have not
+recently been applied it is often the practice to apply from 150 to 200
+pounds of acid phosphate, with some potash fertilizer if it can be
+afforded. On clay soils 200 or 300 pounds per acre of acid phosphate
+ordinarily are sufficient. On many soils a light application of nitrate
+of soda will assist materially in giving the young clover plants a
+good start and often will enable them to withstand the effects of a
+late drought or severe winter which otherwise might have injured
+the stand. If the seeding has been delayed, as by waiting for suitable
+rains, an application of not more than 75 pounds of nitrate of soda
+per acre will stimulate the young plants and enable them to make a
+better growth before winter.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[ 12 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Fertilizer is usually applied at seeding time, but a few farmers have
+been found who apply it as a top-dressing very early the following
+summer, giving as a reason that there is then no loss from winter
+leaching and that by this method the plants are nourished at the
+time they are making their most vigorous growth. Such top-dressings
+of fertilizer should not be made while the leaves are wet with rain
+or dew. Where stable manure is applied to crimson clover very
+marked results follow. It may be spread just before seeding when
+the clover is not grown in an intertilled crop, or it may be applied as
+a top-dressing in winter or very early spring.</p>
+
+<p>The more vigorous the growth that can be induced by the application
+of suitable fertilizers the more marked will be the increase in
+the yield of the succeeding crops. On soil in a low state of productivity
+the use of a reasonable amount of fertilizer will often enable
+a successful crop of clover and succeeding crops to be produced, where
+had not the fertilizers been applied the clover would have failed.
+Furthermore, the following crop, particularly if it be corn, would
+also fail to give the increased yield which follows a successful stand
+of crimson clover.</p>
+
+<p>An application of barnyard manure will be found to be especially
+effective in obtaining a stand of crimson clover on any thin, galled
+spots in the field. The manure should be worked into the ground
+before seeding, and, if possible, a second application as a top-dressing
+should be given a day or two after planting. The top-dressing
+stimulates the seedlings and if strawy helps to protect them from the
+August sun.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="LIME"></a>LIME.</h3>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is not as dependent on lime as red clover and
+alfalfa, being more like alsike clover in this respect. It does not
+thrive on soils which are very "sour," but on well-drained soils in
+a productive condition crimson clover frequently makes a vigorous
+growth, even though the soil may show a high lime requirement.
+The stands are usually more uniformly good over the limed parts
+of such fields than on the unlimed parts, although it is sometimes
+questionable whether the benefit derived from liming is profitable.
+Liming is more often desirable on clay soils than on sandy soils,
+and usually gives better results when used in conjunction with fertilizers
+than when used alone. On light sandy soils deficient in humus
+burnt lime may be actually injurious. In considering the advisability
+of applying lime one must not lose sight of the need of lime on the
+part of such other crops as corn, cantaloupes, or peaches, which
+are either grown with or follow the clover. Inasmuch as the effect
+of liming varies greatly in different localities, it is suggested that
+small plats be treated experimentally at different rates before any
+considerable areas are limed.</p>
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[ 13 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="INOCULATION"></a>INOCULATION.</h3>
+
+<p>A large part of the value of all clovers lies in their ability to
+utilize the nitrogen of the air and add it to the soil. When
+grown on rich land, the clovers, like many other plants, use the
+nitrogen already present in the soil and are not stimulated to contribute
+any to their own support or to the support of other crops.
+To enable the clover to use the nitrogen in the air the presence of
+the proper nodule-forming bacteria in the soil is necessary.</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately, most of the soils in the crimson-clover sections appear
+to be already inoculated, and artificial inoculation is not often
+necessary, except on soils new to the crop. Crimson clover is inoculated
+by the same strain of bacteria which occurs on the roots of
+the other true clovers; consequently, a field which has produced a
+good stand of red, mammoth, alsike, white, hop, Carolina, rabbit's-foot,
+or buffalo clover is usually inoculated sufficiently for crimson
+clover. Sweet clover, Japan clover, and bur clover are not true
+clovers and are inoculated by a different strain of bacteria.</p>
+
+<p>The importance of inoculation is well shown by an experiment
+conducted by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. In
+this experiment yields of 4,057 and 6,100 pounds of crimson-clover
+hay were secured on inoculated soils, while on corresponding areas
+which were not inoculated the yields were 761 pounds on one area
+and nothing on the other.</p>
+
+<p>The soil can be inoculated artificially by means of pure cultures
+of the bacteria or by the transfer of a small quantity of soil from
+another clover field.<a name="FNanchor_2" id="FNanchor_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> The latter method is the more certain, but is
+open to the danger of introducing noxious weeds, insects, and plant
+diseases, especially if the soil is brought from a distance. The
+presence of stem-rot in many sections makes the use of soil especially
+dangerous. This disease can, be carried with the soil from field to
+field.</p>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+
+<p><a name="Footnote_2" id="Footnote_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Sufficient pure culture for inoculating seed for 1 acre can be secured free from the
+United States Department of Agriculture. Full directions for using the culture accompany
+each bottle. Directions for inoculating by the soil-transfer method can also be
+obtained from this Department.</p></div>
+
+
+
+
+<h2><a name="SEEDING" id="SEEDING">SEEDING.</a></h2>
+
+
+<h3><a id="TIME_OF_SEEDING"></a>TIME OF SEEDING.</h3>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is usually sown between August 15 and October 1,
+the general rule being to plant about 60 days before the first killing
+frost is expected. South of Virginia crimson clover can be seeded as
+late as November 1, although if planted late more seed should be
+used and a light dressing of nitrate of soda applied, in order to
+stimulate the young plants. Seeding earlier than August 1 is seldom
+advisable unless the crop is sown with some other crop the shade of
+which will hold it back.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[ 14 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The exact date of planting depends almost entirely upon the moisture
+content of the soil. The principal condition to avoid is planting
+when the soil contains just enough moisture to germinate the seeds,
+but not enough to keep the plants growing. Usually it is better to
+plant when the soil is quite dry than when it is slightly moist, for in
+dry soil the seeds, if properly buried, lie without germinating and
+are ready to grow vigorously at the first rainfall. The most favorable
+time for seeding is just before or just after a good rain, when the
+soil is moist enough to form a ball in the hand.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="RATE_OF_SEEDING"></a>RATE OF SEEDING.</h3>
+
+<p>The ordinary rate of seeding crimson clover is 15 pounds per acre,
+although the rate varies according to conditions. From 12 to 15
+pounds per acre are usually sufficient when growing the crop for seed
+or when the soil is unusually rich. On poor soil, dry soil, or on soil
+which has not previously produced crimson clover 18 to 22 pounds
+of seed give better assurance of a stand. Heavy seeding is also desirable
+when planting late in the season or when a heavy crop is
+wanted for green manure early in the spring.</p>
+
+<p>Theoretically, 2 pounds of seed per acre would provide six plants
+for every square foot, which is a satisfactory stand. Under ordinary
+circumstances, however, it is necessary to allow for some of the seed
+being too deep, or too shallow, or failing to germinate, and for a
+certain percentage of winterkilling. It is also well to have a fairly
+thick stand of the young plants, so that the ground may be well
+covered during the early fall and thus prevent soil washing and the
+growth of winter weeds.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="METHODS_OF_SEEDING"></a>METHODS OF SEEDING.</h3>
+
+<p>The most common method of seeding crimson clover in intertilled
+crops is to scatter the seed broadcast with a rotary seeder or by hand.
+(<a href="#fig6">Fig. 6.</a>) In order to place the seed on a fresh, moist seed bed it is
+commonly broadcasted immediately behind the cultivator at the last
+cultivation and is covered 'at once by a second cultivator. In tall
+corn the seed may be sown from horseback, the ears of the horse being
+covered with small bags to prevent the entrance of the flying seed.
+Slightly more seed is required when seeding in tall corn, as some seed
+catches in the corn plants. When seeding in cotton care must be taken
+to avoid injury to the opening bolls, which are easily knocked off or
+torn. This is best done by seeding by hand, covering the seed with a
+piece of brush dragged down the rows.</p>
+
+<p>In low-growing truck crops and on fallow ground crimson clover
+can be seeded with a wheelbarrow seeder. This implement distributes
+the seed more evenly than can be done by hand or with the rotary
+seeder, especially when planting a mixture of crops. The wheelbarrow
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[ 15 ]</a></span>
+seeder being somewhat awkward to handle is better adapted
+to smooth, level fields than to hillsides.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 465px;"><a id="fig6"></a>
+<img src="images/fig6.png" width="465" height="275" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 6.</span>&mdash;Seeding crimson clover in corn at the last cultivation.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>Probably the very best method of seeding crimson clover is with
+the special clover or alfalfa drill. Where enough clover is grown
+to warrant its use this implement is to be highly recommended. The
+seed is sown in 4-inch rows at just the proper depth and with the
+right pressure, and the fertilizer is placed exactly under each row,
+where it will be immediately available to the seedlings. Drilled
+clover requires less seed than broadcasted clover and produces a more
+even and certain stand.</p>
+
+<p>In place of the special clover drill an ordinary grain drill equipped
+with a clover-seed attachment can be used with good results. Special
+spouts should be arranged to lead from the clover-seed box back of
+the shoes or disks, in order to deposit the seed directly in the furrow.
+Chain furrow closers are best for covering the seed, as they leave
+the furrows broad and flat instead of <b>V</b> shaped and lessen the danger
+of the seedlings being covered with soil during a hard rain.</p>
+
+<p>For use in intertilled crops there are several types of 1-row drills,
+the best for this purpose being the 5-hoe drill equipped with press
+wheels.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson-clover seed must be covered, but not too deeply. In most
+soils it is not enough to depend on rain to effect a covering. An inch
+in sandy soils and half an inch in clay soils appear to be about the
+right depth. Shallow planting gives the best results in wet seasons
+and deep planting in time of drought. Broadcasted seed should be
+covered with a spike-tooth harrow or a weeder rather than a heavy
+harrow or a shovel cultivator. A harrow made of fairly stiff brush
+is often useful in loose soil.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[ 16 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="CHOICE_OF_SEED"></a>CHOICE OF SEED.</h3>
+
+<p>As a rule, fresh crimson-clover seed is of good viability, and failure
+to secure a stand is not often caused by failure of the seed to
+grow. Unlike most clovers, crimson-clover seed absorbs water readily
+and sprouts quickly. There are practically none of the hard
+seeds which are so frequent in red clover and sweet clover, and a
+germination of 90 per cent in 48 hour's is not uncommon. The seed
+deteriorates rapidly, however, and when more than 2 years old rarely
+shows a germination in excess of 50 per cent. Sometimes, when
+stocks of commercial seed are low, old seed finds its way to the market,
+and this, when planted, gives poor results. Old seed can usually be
+detected by the dull-brown appearance of the seed coat as contrasted
+with the bright, shiny, pinkish or greenish yellow color of fresh seed.
+Brown seed, however, is sometimes caused by weathering during harvest,
+and such seed is not objectionable unless the weathering has
+been excessive.</p>
+
+<p>A common impurity in crimson-clover seed is green, shrunken, and
+immature seed, caused by harvesting the crop before it is ripe. Crimson-clover
+seed does not germinate readily until it takes on a yellowish
+tinge; therefore, green seed should be rejected.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson-clover seed is larger and plumper than red-clover seed
+and if properly cleaned should not contain seeds of dodder or the
+smaller seeded weeds. Frequently, however, it does contain the seeds
+of field peppergrass, yellow trefoil, evening primrose, sheep sorrel,
+wild geranium, buttercups, mustards, and other weeds which blossom
+in early summer.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="UNHULLED"></a>UNHULLED SEED.</h3>
+
+<p>There is a growing belief among farmers that they are less likely
+to lose a stand of crimson clover through drought if they sow the seed
+in the hull rather than use the hulled seed as it ordinarily appears on
+the market. It is claimed that the hulls hold the moisture to some
+extent and carry the seedlings over the critical day or two following
+germination, while some farmers assert that the unhulled seeds require
+more moisture for germination, and the seeds therefore do not sprout
+until there is enough moisture in the soil to keep the plants growing.
+Unhulled seed is bulky and is not often handled by commercial seedsmen,
+although one large grower sells the unhulled seed in compressed,
+bales similar to small cotton bales. It usually can be secured from
+neighboring farmers, however, or is easily saved at home. The seed
+can be harvested with a stripper from the standing crop in the field
+or the mature crop can be cut and thrashed like an ordinary grain
+crop. For local planting on a small scale unhulled seed is the
+cheapest and most accessible form of crimson-clover seed.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[ 17 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Unhulled seed is somewhat difficult to sow, because the hairy hulls
+stick together in masses and can not be scattered uniformly. To
+avoid this trouble the seed may be mixed with moistened earth or
+with lime, or may be sown with a blower similar to those used on
+small forges. A better plan is to sow on a windy day, throwing the
+seed vertically into the air and allowing the wind to scatter it.</p>
+
+<p>Of unhulled seed of the best quality, 100 pounds contains about 1
+bushel (60 pounds) of clean seed. The common grades, however, are
+usually more chaffy and require 120 to 180 pounds to make a bushel.
+From 2 to 3 pounds of unhulled seed are therefore regarded as equivalent
+to 1 pound of hulled seed. A bushel of unhulled seed, even when
+well packed down, weighs only 6 to 10 pounds and contains about 4
+pounds of seed. The appearance of both hulled and unhulled crimson-clover
+seed is shown in <a href="#fig7">figure 7</a>.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 461px;"><a id="fig7"></a>
+<img src="images/fig7.png" width="461" height="329" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 7.</span>&mdash;Hulled seed of crimson clover of a common commercial grade and unhulled
+seed gathered with a homemade stripper. (Natural size.)</div>
+</div>
+
+
+<h3><a id="NURSE_CROP"></a>USE OF A NURSE CROP.</h3>
+
+<p>In order to protect the crimson-clover seedlings from the hot sun
+of late August it is a common practice in some sections to plant with
+the clover a small quantity of some quick-growing crop like buckwheat,
+cowpeas, rape, or turnips. A thin stand of these heavier
+leaved plants furnishes an ideal shade for the young clover, and on
+soils which are inclined to bake it prevents the formation of a crust.
+The nurse crop must be seeded lightly, usually not more than half
+the regular rate, as the ordinary stand shades the ground so
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[ 18 ]</a></span>
+completely as to destroy the crimson clover. On hot clay soil in the Piedmont
+region the chances of obtaining a stand of clover are about
+twice as good with a nurse crop as without one.</p>
+
+<p>Buckwheat is the principal nurse crop northward from Washington,
+D. C. A common rate of seeding is 2 to 3 pecks of buckwheat in
+15 pounds of crimson clover. If the planting can be made in July
+the buckwheat usually has time to ripen before frost and thus pay
+the cost of starting both stands.</p>
+
+<p>In the cotton belt cowpeas have been used successfully, especially
+when seeding on fallow ground. They are seeded broadcast at the
+rate of one-half bushel per acre. There is ordinarily not enough time
+for the cowpeas to mature, but they add to the value of the stand for
+fall pasturage and protect the clover from severe weather in the winter.
+Both cowpeas and buckwheat have the merit of being able to
+grow on poor soil.</p>
+
+<p>Dwarf Essex rape has been used as a nurse crop in a few cases
+where the clover was to be pastured by hogs or sheep in the fall.
+From 2 to 3 pounds of rape, sown in August, furnishes sufficient
+cover for a nurse crop. Cowhorn turnips, winter kale, and mustard
+are also satisfactory nurse crops if planted at a rate not exceeding
+1 pound of seed per acre. If the clover is to be saved for seed these
+latter crops are objectionable, as a few plants will live over winter
+and ripen at the same time as the clover.</p>
+
+<p>Where a nurse crop can not be grown conveniently, the crimson-clover
+seedlings can be protected from the sun by a light top-dressing
+of straw, spread just after the seed is sown.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="SEED_MIXTURES"></a>SEED MIXTURES.</h3>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is frequently grown in combination with winter
+grain, hairy vetch, or other forage crops having a similar period of
+growth. The mixed crop is less liable to lodge than the single crop,
+cures more readily in damp weather, and usually furnishes a heavier
+yield. Another advantage of the mixed crop is that if either should
+fail the other will serve as a cover crop during the winter and bring
+some return the following spring. Mixed crops are not desirable
+if the clover is to be saved for seed.</p>
+
+<p>South of central Virginia crimson clover is usually grown in combination
+with winter oats. An early variety of oats, such as the
+Fulghum, or a late variety of clover, such as the white blooming, is
+usually the best, as the oat crop matures somewhat later than the ordinary
+crimson clover. The customary rate of seeding is 15 pounds
+of the clover and 2&frac12; bushels of oats per acre. In Delaware and
+eastern Maryland the most popular companion crop for crimson
+clover is winter wheat, although barley makes a desirable hay crop
+and is sometimes used. Eye is not desirable for hay, but it is
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[ 19 ]</a></span>
+probably the best of the grains for green manure, as it is hardy, vigorous,
+and starts growth early in the spring. Rye and wheat are seeded at
+the rate of 1 bushel per acre with the customary quantity of crimson
+clover. The accompanying illustration (<a href="#fig8">fig. 8</a>) shows a field seeded
+to a mixture of crimson clover and wheat. Usually the grain is
+well headed, but in the milk or soft-dough stage, when the clover is
+ready to cut, the yield of the mixed crimson clover and grain
+is often 25 to 50 per
+cent greater than
+that of the clover
+alone.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_right" style="width: 315px;"><a id="fig8"></a>
+<img src="images/fig8.png" width="315" height="420" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 8.</span>&mdash;Crimson clover and wheat in mixture. In the
+foreground the crop has been cut and fed green to stock.
+The remainder was cut the next day for hay. The grain
+prevents the crimson clover from lodging.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>Hairy vetch and
+crimson clover are
+sometimes grown together,
+seeding at the
+rate of 20 pounds
+and 10 pounds per
+acre, respectively.
+As both these plants
+are likely to lodge in
+good soil, however,
+one of the grains is
+usually included, a
+common seeding
+mixture being oats 2
+bushels, hairy vetch
+12 to 15 pounds, and
+crimson clover 5
+pounds. Bur clover,
+black medic, and
+other winter-growing
+legumes are
+sometimes found in
+mixtures with crimson
+clover, although such mixtures generally occur by accident rather
+than intent. Black medic and crimson clover make' a particularly
+good combination on rich soil.</p>
+
+<p>In most of the crimson-clover area the cultivated grasses, such as
+timothy, redtop, and orchard grass, are not commonly grown. However,
+where these grasses flourish they may well be seeded at the
+same time as the crimson clover, provided the latter is planted not
+earlier than September 15. In some sections Johnson grass and
+Bermuda grass make useful combinations with crimson clover, the
+grasses making most of their growth in the summer and the clover
+in the fall and spring.</p>
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[ 20 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+
+<h2><a name="TREATMENT_OF_THE_STAND" id="TREATMENT_OF_THE_STAND">TREATMENT OF THE STAND.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>Ordinarily no special treatment is required after seeding and the
+clover goes into the winter without any further handling. If the
+growth is so rank that there is danger of the plants being too succulent
+to survive the winter, the tops can be reduced by light grazing
+with small animals, such as calves, sheep, or chickens, or by mowing
+with the cutter bar of the mowing machine set high. If the stand is
+backward, it may be stimulated by a light application of nitrate of
+soda. It is said that a thin stand can be thickened by grazing lightly
+with sheep, as the grazing induces heavier stooling. The aim should
+be to carry the clover into the winter with well-hardened leafy stems
+and with a well-established root system to withstand heaving out in
+the spring.</p>
+
+<p>In fields which are to be saved for seed a wise precaution is to go
+over them early in the spring and chop out the weeds. If wild onion
+and other weeds are chopped off in April, they do not make enough
+growth by May to contaminate the seed crop.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="MALADIES" id="MALADIES">MALADIES.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>The only disease seriously affecting crimson clover is the clover
+stem-rot, root-rot, or wilt, a disease resembling the stem-rot, or wilt,
+of lettuce and other plants. This disease is prevalent in nearly all
+the crimson-clover States and sometimes does considerable damage.
+The stem-rot affects the clover at all seasons, but is more noticeable
+in the spring, when it sometimes causes large spots of clover suddenly
+to wilt and fall. Occasionally an entire field is affected, but
+the disease is most prevalent in low, rich spots. Examination of the
+plants discloses a rotting off or decay of the stems close to the ground,
+followed immediately by the appearance on the stems of small black
+lumps, or sclerotia, about the size of clover seed. These sclerotia are
+a means of spreading the disease and are often harvested in the hay
+or in the seed crop. The only known remedy for the stem-rot is to
+cease growing clover or alfalfa on an infested field for three or four
+years, substituting cowpeas or soy beans. Seed from fields known to
+be infested should, of course, be avoided.</p>
+
+<p>No insects are known to affect crimson clover seriously, nor are
+weeds of great importance in clover planted on clean fields. When
+planted in cultivated crops or in poorly prepared ground crimson
+clover is often seriously damaged by a rank growth of chickweed,
+knawel (moss weed), winter cress, and other winter-growing annuals.</p>
+
+
+<p class="tdr">WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1920</p>
+
+
+<hr class="full" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[ 21 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="transnotes">
+
+<p>Transcriber Note</p>
+
+<p>Minor typos have been corrected. Illustrations were moved to prevent
+splitting paragraphs. Produced from files generously made available
+by USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant materials are placed
+in the Public Domain.</p>
+
+</div>
+
+<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 63166 ***</div>
+</body>
+</html>
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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142: Growing

-Crimson Clover, by Leonard Wheeler Kephart

-

-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most

-other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions

-whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of

-the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at

-www.gutenberg.org.  If you are not located in the United States, you'll have

-to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.

-

-Title: USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142: Growing Crimson Clover

-

-Author: Leonard Wheeler Kephart

-

-Release Date: September 10, 2020 [EBook #63166]

-

-Language: English

-

-Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

-

-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK USDA FARMERS' BULLETIN NO. 1142 ***

-

-

-

-

-Produced by Tom Cosmas from files generously made available

-by USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant

-materials are placed in the Public Domain.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-Transcriber Note

-

-Text emphasis denoted as _Italics_ and =Bold=.

-

-

-

-

-                          FARMERS' BULLETIN 1142

-

-                 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

-

-

-                                 GROWING

-

-                                 CRIMSON

-

-                                  CLOVER

-

-

-Crimson Clover is a handsome fall-planted annual, widely cultivated in

-the Middle Atlantic and Southeastern States for forage, a cover crop, and

-green manure.

-

-Crimson clover is commonly sown in corn at the last cultivation. If the

-soil is heavy, a better practice is to sow after a crop of small grain or

-on other land which can be specially prepared.

-

-Crimson clover will grow on poorer soil than most clovers and is not

-particularly dependent upon lime. For this reason it has been widely used

-for restoring the productivity of soils which have been abused. A more

-important function is to maintain crop yields on soils which are already

-moderately rich.

-

-The most common difficulty in growing crimson clover is the killing of the

-young stands by drought. This is best prevented by the preparation of a

-fine, moist, and firmly compacted seed bed.

-

-August and September are the best months for sowing crimson clover, the

-exact date depending upon the condition of the soil. Either hulled or

-unhulled seed may be used, the latter giving somewhat greater certainty of

-a stand.

-

-Crimson clover is often sown with a nurse crop of buckwheat or cowpeas, to

-protect it from the sun. A light covering of straw is also effective.

-

-Combinations of crimson clover with oats, hairy vetch, or other fall-sown

-forage crops give somewhat higher yields and a surer stand than crimson

-clover alone.

-

-No insects trouble crimson clover seriously, and the only severe disease

-is the stem-rot, or wilt.

-

-              Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry

-                           WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief

-                      Washington, D. C. August, 1920

-

-

-

-

-                       =GROWING CRIMSON CLOVER.=[1]

-

-

-                  L. W. Kephart, _Scientific Assistant,

-                  Office of Forage-Crop Investigations._

-

-[1] This bulletin is a revision of Farmers' Bulletin 550, entitled

-"Crimson Clover: Growing the Crop," by J. M. Westgate, formerly Agronomist

-in Charge of Clover Investigations, Office of Forage-Crop Investigations.

-The illustrations and some of the subject matter of the old bulletin are

-retained in the present issue.

-

-

-

-

-=CONTENTS.=

-

-                                                 Page.

-

-  History and adaptations                           4

-  Varieties                                         5

-  Use in the rotation                               6

-    Seeding in intertilled crops                    6

-    Seeding after an early-maturing crop            7

-  Requirements for obtaining a stand                8

-    Soils                                           9

-    Preparation of the seed bed                    10

-    Fertilizers                                    11

-    Lime                                           12

-    Inoculation                                    13

-  Seeding                                          13

-    Time of seeding                                13

-    Rate of seeding                                14

-    Methods of seeding                             14

-    Choice of seed                                 16

-    Unhulled seed                                  16

-    Use of a nurse crop                            17

-    Seed mixtures                                  18

-  Treatment of the stand                           20

-  Maladies                                         20

-

-

-[dropcap: CRIMSON] CLOVER is an annual or winter annual true clover,

-resembling common red clover in size and general appearance, the most

-noticeable difference being the flower heads, which are long, narrow, and

-pointed instead of short, spherical, and compact (fig. 1). The individual

-flowers of this clover are commonly of a rich scarlet color, and as the

-heads are borne mostly on the ends of the stems, a field of crimson clover

-in full bloom presents a strikingly brilliant appearance. Because of the

-color of the flowers, crimson clover is often termed "scarlet clover,"

-although it is also known, less commonly, as "French clover," "Italian

-clover," "German clover," "incarnate clover," and "annual clover." It is

-the only annual true clover that is of more than incidental agricultural

-importance in the eastern United States.

-

-Probably the most important characteristic of crimson clover is its

-ability to grow and make its crop during the fall and early spring,

-when the land is not occupied by the ordinary summer-grown crops. In

-sections where it succeeds, it can be sown following a grain crop or in

-an intertilled crop in late summer and is ready to harvest for hay, to

-pasture, or to turn under as green manure in time to plow the land for

-spring-seeded crops, such as corn or cotton. South of central Delaware

-it may even be cut for seed and the stubble plowed under in time for

-seeding a quick-maturing strain of corn. Because it can be grown during

-the offseason of the year, crimson clover is one of the most economical

-legumes for green manuring, and it has been largely used for that purpose

-in the regions to which it is adapted. The many uses to which this crop

-may be put merit a careful study of the best methods of establishing a

-stand of this clover on the farm.

-

-[Illustration: Fig. 1.--A single plant of crimson clover.]

-

-

-

-

-=HISTORY AND ADAPTATIONS.=

-

-

-Crimson clover is a native of Europe, where it is cultivated as a forage

-and green-manuring crop in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, and

-Great Britain. Large quantities of crimson-clover seed are exported from

-Europe to the United States, especially from the districts of central

-France, where crimson clover is the premier leguminous forage plant.

-

-Crimson clover was introduced into this country as early as 1818, and the

-seed was widely distributed by the United States Patent Office in 1855.

-The plant was at first regarded more for its ornamental value than as a

-forage plant, however, and it was not until about 1880 that its value for

-agricultural purposes began to be appreciated.

-

-[Illustration: Fig. 2.--Map of a part of the United States, showing the

-region where crimson clover is most widely grown.]

-

-At present crimson clover is grown most widely in the lighter sandy

-areas of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, where the soil is not very rich

-and the winters are not severe. (Fig. 2.) The plant does not withstand

-either extreme cold or extreme heat, and its culture is therefore limited

-to regions which enjoy at some time during the year a long period of

-relatively mild, moist weather. Ordinarily, this clover does not survive

-the winter in latitudes north of southern Pennsylvania, while in some of

-the Southern States it is frequently killed by dry, hot weather in the

-fall or spring. It succeeds well in the humid regions near the Gulf of

-Mexico and in the Pacific Northwest, but in these areas it is not widely

-grown.

-

-Normally, crimson clover is a winter annual comparable to winter wheat;

-that is, it is planted in the fall, lies more or less dormant over winter,

-grows rapidly in the spring, and dies, after going to seed, early in the

-summer. Where the summers are not too hot it can be planted in the spring

-and grown as a summer crop, but for this purpose other clovers are usually

-preferred.

-

-

-

-

-=VARIETIES.=

-

-

-Crimson clover is exceedingly variable both in color of flower and in

-time of maturity. These variations are particularly noticeable in fields

-planted from a mixed lot of seed, the flowers presenting a range in color

-from nearly pure white to a deep purplish red and the seeds a difference

-in date of ripening of more than a month. Since crimson clover is thought

-to be mainly self-pollinated, it is easy to fix these qualities by

-selection and to establish definite varieties.

-

-In Europe six or seven different varieties of crimson clover are

-recognized and sold by seedsmen, varying from extra early crimson flowered

-to, extra late white flowered and from very hardy to non-hardy. By the use

-of a succession of these varieties the European farmer is able to spread

-his harvest over six or seven weeks instead of having it concentrated

-within a few days, as in America. Similarly, the culture of the plant has

-been extended northward from Italy to Sweden by means of hardy strains.

-A wild form of crimson clover having yellowish flowers and hairy foliage

-occurs in southern and eastern Europe and in England, but it is not of

-economic value.

-

-In America no sharply defined varieties of crimson clover are recognized,

-except a white-blooming variety which is sold in the South and is two

-weeks later than the ordinary crimson-flowered sort. Hardy strains have

-been developed and used in a small way in Massachusetts and Ohio, but

-these are not commercially available.

-

-

-

-

-=USE IN THE ROTATION.=

-

-

-=SEEDING IN INTERTILLED CROPS.=

-

-In former years a large percentage of the crimson-clover acreage was

-seeded in corn or other intertilled crops at or shortly after the time of

-the last cultivation. In most of the crimson-clover area it is possible

-to make such a seeding, obtain a good growth during the fall and early

-spring, and mow or plow under the clover in time, for breaking up the land

-for another crop of corn. This has been the standard method of growing

-this clover, and it is still the leading practice in many of the older

-sections. Corn in the summer with crimson clover in the winter is a cheap

-and convenient method of growing a cash crop and a restorative crop the

-same year, and the reputation of crimson clover as a crop increaser is

-largely based on this simple rotation. Instances are by no means rare

-where the yield of corn has been gradually increased from 10 bushels per

-acre to as high as 70 bushels by this means.

-

-The difficulty with this method is the possibility of the stand of young

-clover failing through drought. The growing corn makes a heavy demand on

-the soil moisture, and if there is not enough moisture for both clover and

-corn the latter gets the larger share and the tender clover plants are

-likely to succumb. Because of the risk involved, farmers in the upland

-sections are seeking other and more reliable methods of seeding, and the

-sowing of crimson clover in corn is gradually decreasing.

-

-Where the danger from fall drought is not serious, crimson clover may be

-sown in corn at the time of the last cultivation or when the corn leaves

-have just begun to wither. South of central Virginia there is likely to be

-much hot weather after the corn is laid by, in which case it is best to

-delay the seeding of the clover until after the first rain. The appearance

-of a field of crimson clover seeded in corn the previous summer is shown

-in figure 3.

-

-South of southern Virginia crimson clover can be seeded in cotton,

-provided the field is free from crab-grass and other weeds and the soil is

-not too dry. In the extreme north of the cotton belt the seed may be sown

-at the last working of the cotton; farther south this occurs too early and

-it is necessary to wait for a rain, which often comes at about the time of

-the first picking.

-

-[Illustration: Fig. 3.--Crimson clover in an old cornfield. The clover

-was seeded in the corn at the last cultivation. A fodder stack is to be

-observed in the middle foreground. The cornstalks have been removed to

-avoid difficulty in mowing the clover.]

-

-Crimson clover may be seeded in practically any of the cultivated truck

-crops which receive their last cultivation from 8 to 12 weeks before

-the first frost. It is not practicable to seed the clover in late

-potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other root crops, as the digging in the fall

-practically destroys the clover.

-

-Ordinarily, crimson clover does not succeed when sown in cowpeas, sorghum,

-or watermelons, owing to the heavy shade cast by these crops. It can,

-however, be seeded in tobacco, tomatoes, cultivated soy beans, and

-cantaloupes.

-

-

-=SEEDING AFTER AN EARLY-MATURING CROP.=

-

-Seeding crimson clover in an intertilled crop is successful mostly on

-sandy soils, which can easily be prepared for seeding even in mid-summer.

-On clay soils and in weedy fields this method of seeding is likely to be

-unsatisfactory. Such soils are usually hard and dry in August and can with

-difficulty be brought into condition for a seed bed, with the result that

-a large percentage of such seedings fail. A better plan on clay soils, and

-on sandy soils in many cases, is to seed the crimson clover on specially

-prepared ground from which all other crops have been removed. Such ground

-can be made as fine and firm as desired. Furthermore, the clover after

-planting does not have to compete with another crop for the soil moisture.

-This method is somewhat more troublesome than planting in intertilled

-crops, but the greater certainty of getting a stand more than offsets the

-greater cost. Planting crimson clover on specially prepared ground has

-extended the culture of the plant to regions where it was not hitherto

-grown and is increasing the reliability of the crop in sections where it

-has been long established.

-

-In the ordinary rotation, crimson clover follows a crop of small grain.

-However, it may follow any crop that is removed 8 to 10 weeks before

-frost, or it may be seeded on fallow ground. Ground from which early

-potatoes have been removed is especially favorable for the establishment

-of a stand of this clover. The residual effect of the fertilizers used on

-potatoes is partially responsible for this, while the well-settled seed

-bed, which requires only leveling and harrowing, also presents favorable

-conditions for the crimson-clover seedlings.

-

-In many parts of the South crimson clover can be seeded in corn stubble if

-an early variety of corn has been used. Although there is some risk that

-the clover may not make enough growth before winter if seeding is delayed

-until the corn is harvested, the danger of losing the stand is not as

-great as if the clover were seeded earlier, while the corn was standing.

-

-Crimson clover is sometimes seeded after a grass or clover crop if the

-rainfall in July is sufficient to cause the sod to decay. In the far South

-it can be planted after peanuts, while in all sections it can be sown as

-a catch crop on land where cotton or other crops have died early in the

-season.

-

-

-

-

-=REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING A STAND.=

-

-

-Probably the difficulty most commonly experienced in growing crimson

-clover is failure to obtain a satisfactory stand. Sometimes the seed does

-not germinate well; more commonly good germination is secured, but the

-seedlings wither and die before they can become established. Frequently

-not more than 50 per cent of the plants survive the first three weeks,

-while a complete failure of the crop is a common risk even in the sections

-where crimson clover is most widely grown.

-

-The most common cause of failure to obtain a stand is hot, dry

-weather after planting. The seedlings of crimson clover are tender,

-succulent, and shallow rooted and are easily killed by lack of moisture.

-Unfortunately, in most of the crimson-clover area the weather during late

-August and early September is very likely to be hot and droughty, making

-the planting of the clover at that time rather hazardous. Some farmers

-attempt to avoid this difficulty by planting either in early summer or in

-October, after the fall rains; there is danger, however, that the plants

-will make too much or too little growth to survive the winter. In the

-long run it is probably better to plant at the regular time and depend

-upon thorough preparation of the seed bed to offset any deficiency in the

-rainfall.

-

-

-=SOILS.=

-

-Crimson clover can be grown successfully on almost any type of soil if it

-is reasonably rich, well drained, and supplied with organic matter and the

-proper inoculating bacteria. Probably two-thirds of the crimson-clover

-acreage is found on the sandy soils of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, but

-the crop is not necessarily restricted to sandy soils and is in fact

-increasing in importance on the red-clay soils of the Piedmont region and

-in the limestone valleys of Virginia and Tennessee.

-

-[Illustration: Fig. 4.--a crimson-clover failure on ground too poor in

-humus.]

-

-Crimson clover has been an important factor in increasing yields on soils

-that have been abused, but it is not a crop for land which is naturally

-very poor. It does not do well on rough, newly cleared areas, raw

-subsoil, Hard, dry clay, or sterile sand. (Fig. 4.) For such soils soy

-beans, cowpeas, and velvet beans are better suited and should be used for

-the first three or four years until crimson clover can be successfully

-grown. Crimson clover can be made to grow on poor soils, provided they

-are specially prepared by liming, manuring, and inoculating. In general,

-however, crimson clover is a crop for maintaining soils which are already

-fairly productive rather than one for inducing productivity in soils where

-it is quite lacking. If there is any doubt whether the soil is suitable

-for crimson clover, a small plat should be prepared under field conditions

-and planted one year for trial.

-

-

-=PREPARATION OF THE SEED BED.=

-

-To secure a full, even stand of crimson clover with any degree of

-regularity the seed bed should be well and thoroughly prepared. The soil

-should be firm, moist, well settled, and fine on top. Only indifferent

-success can possibly be expected if the seed is scattered on land which

-is loose, dry, and full of hard lumps and trash. A loose seed bed dries

-out quickly, heaves during the winter, and on some soils blows and washes

-badly.

-

-[Illustration: Fig. 5.--A corrugated roller or pulverizer, an excellent

-implement for preparing the seed bed for crimson clover.]

-

-On the other hand, the seed bed should not be too hard, for although this

-clover often grows successfully on soil which would be too solid for

-corn, there must be at| least enough loose soil on the surface to cover

-the seed. Thorough preparation is the very best insurance against failure

-of the stand through drought or winterkilling, and the most successful

-growers sow crimson clover on land as well prepared as that for wheat.

-

-To secure a fine, firm seed bed without drying out the surface soil, the

-land should be prepared with as few operations as possible. A single

-working when the soil is in a moist, crumbly condition is better than half

-a dozen workings when the soil is too wet or too dry. In very sandy soils,

-or soils which do not form a crust, the only preparation needed is to keep

-down the weeds.

-

-An excellent tool for making the seed bed is the corrugated roller or

-pulverizer (fig. 5). This implement is an improvement over the old plain

-roller for breaking clods and is unexcelled for keeping the surface soil

-moist. It can be used after plowing and again before planting, and even

-after planting if the soil needs to be compacted. Rolling of some kind to

-firm the soil is especially important on sandy soils, but it is equally

-beneficial on clay soils if they are cloddy.

-

-When clover is seeded in an intertilled crop, such as corn, cotton, or

-tomatoes, the customary cultivation received by these crops is ordinarily

-sufficient preparation for crimson clover. In sandy soil the clover is

-often seeded without any immediate preparation, but a light stirring with

-a harrow-toothed cultivator is desirable if the ground is hard. If the

-clover is to be used for hay or seed, the preceding crop should be laid by

-level rather than in ridges. This will facilitate cutting the clover.

-

-Where crimson clover is seeded after a crop of small grain, the stubble

-should be plowed or disked as soon as possible after the grain is cut.

-Stubble land dries out quickly, partly because the soil is suddenly left

-bare and partly because of the drain on the soil moisture by the crops of

-ragweed and other coarse-growing weeds which always follow a grain crop.

-Unless the soil is cultivated at once it becomes very difficult to obtain

-anything like an ideal seed bed for crimson clover. This difficulty is

-usually more pronounced after oats and barley than after rye and wheat.

-Ordinarily the best practice is to disk the grain stubble within a week

-after harvest and harrow every week, or at least after every rain, in

-order to settle the ground, destroy the weeds, and assist in holding the

-moisture pending the time of seeding the clover. Plowing the stubble

-is more expensive than disking and requires that the ground be allowed

-to settle for a month or six weeks in order to secure a firm seed bed.

-Plowing is an advantage in a wet season, because plowed ground dries

-readily; it is a disadvantage in a dry season for the same reason.

-

-

-=FERTILIZERS.=

-

-On moderately rich soil the fertilizer applied to the preceding crop is

-sufficient to produce a good crop of crimson clover. This is especially

-true where the clover follows such crops as potatoes or tomatoes, which

-ordinarily are heavily treated with fertilizers. It is important to

-realize, however, that crimson clover has a very short period of growth,

-and that to make a vigorous growth it must have a good supply of plant

-food. On sandy soils where fertilizers have not recently been applied it

-is often the practice to apply from 150 to 200 pounds of acid phosphate,

-with some potash fertilizer if it can be afforded. On clay soils 200 or

-300 pounds per acre of acid phosphate ordinarily are sufficient. On many

-soils a light application of nitrate of soda will assist materially in

-giving the young clover plants a good start and often will enable them to

-withstand the effects of a late drought or severe winter which otherwise

-might have injured the stand. If the seeding has been delayed, as by

-waiting for suitable rains, an application of not more than 75 pounds of

-nitrate of soda per acre will stimulate the young plants and enable them

-to make a better growth before winter.

-

-Fertilizer is usually applied at seeding time, but a few farmers have been

-found who apply it as a top-dressing very early the following summer,

-giving as a reason that there is then no loss from winter leaching and

-that by this method the plants are nourished at the time they are making

-their most vigorous growth. Such top-dressings of fertilizer should not

-be made while the leaves are wet with rain or dew. Where stable manure is

-applied to crimson clover very marked results follow. It may be spread

-just before seeding when the clover is not grown in an intertilled crop,

-or it may be applied as a top-dressing in winter or very early spring.

-

-The more vigorous the growth that can be induced by the application of

-suitable fertilizers the more marked will be the increase in the yield of

-the succeeding crops. On soil in a low state of productivity the use of

-a reasonable amount of fertilizer will often enable a successful crop of

-clover and succeeding crops to be produced, where had not the fertilizers

-been applied the clover would have failed. Furthermore, the following

-crop, particularly if it be corn, would also fail to give the increased

-yield which follows a successful stand of crimson clover.

-

-An application of barnyard manure will be found to be especially effective

-in obtaining a stand of crimson clover on any thin, galled spots in the

-field. The manure should be worked into the ground before seeding, and,

-if possible, a second application as a top-dressing should be given a day

-or two after planting. The top-dressing stimulates the seedlings and if

-strawy helps to protect them from the August sun.

-

-

-=LIME.=

-

-Crimson clover is not as dependent on lime as red clover and alfalfa,

-being more like alsike clover in this respect. It does not thrive on soils

-which are very "sour," but on well-drained soils in a productive condition

-crimson clover frequently makes a vigorous growth, even though the soil

-may show a high lime requirement. The stands are usually more uniformly

-good over the limed parts of such fields than on the unlimed parts,

-although it is sometimes questionable whether the benefit derived from

-liming is profitable. Liming is more often desirable on clay soils than

-on sandy soils, and usually gives better results when used in conjunction

-with fertilizers than when used alone. On light sandy soils deficient

-in humus burnt lime may be actually injurious. In considering the

-advisability of applying lime one must not lose sight of the need of lime

-on the part of such other crops as corn, cantaloupes, or peaches, which

-are either grown with or follow the clover. Inasmuch as the effect of

-liming varies greatly in different localities, it is suggested that small

-plats be treated experimentally at different rates before any considerable

-areas are limed.

-

-

-=INOCULATION.=

-

-A large part of the value of all clovers lies in their ability to utilize

-the nitrogen of the air and add it to the soil. When grown on rich land,

-the clovers, like many other plants, use the nitrogen already present in

-the soil and are not stimulated to contribute any to their own support or

-to the support of other crops. To enable the clover to use the nitrogen in

-the air the presence of the proper nodule-forming bacteria in the soil is

-necessary.

-

-Fortunately, most of the soils in the crimson-clover sections appear to

-be already inoculated, and artificial inoculation is not often necessary,

-except on soils new to the crop. Crimson clover is inoculated by the same

-strain of bacteria which occurs on the roots of the other true clovers;

-consequently, a field which has produced a good stand of red, mammoth,

-alsike, white, hop, Carolina, rabbit's-foot, or buffalo clover is usually

-inoculated sufficiently for crimson clover. Sweet clover, Japan clover,

-and bur clover are not true clovers and are inoculated by a different

-strain of bacteria.

-

-The importance of inoculation is well shown by an experiment conducted by

-the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. In this experiment yields of

-4,057 and 6,100 pounds of crimson-clover hay were secured on inoculated

-soils, while on corresponding areas which were not inoculated the yields

-were 761 pounds on one area and nothing on the other.

-

-The soil can be inoculated artificially by means of pure cultures of the

-bacteria or by the transfer of a small quantity of soil from another

-clover field.[2] The latter method is the more certain, but is open to

-the danger of introducing noxious weeds, insects, and plant diseases,

-especially if the soil is brought from a distance. The presence of

-stem-rot in many sections makes the use of soil especially dangerous. This

-disease can, be carried with the soil from field to field.

-

-[2] Sufficient pure culture for inoculating seed for 1 acre can be secured

-free from the United States Department of Agriculture. Full directions for

-using the culture accompany each bottle. Directions for inoculating by the

-soil-transfer method can also be obtained from this Department.

-

-

-

-

-=SEEDING.=

-

-

-=TIME OF SEEDING.=

-

-Crimson clover is usually sown between August 15 and October 1, the

-general rule being to plant about 60 days before the first killing frost

-is expected. South of Virginia crimson clover can be seeded as late as

-November 1, although if planted late more seed should be used and a light

-dressing of nitrate of soda applied, in order to stimulate the young

-plants. Seeding earlier than August 1 is seldom advisable unless the crop

-is sown with some other crop the shade of which will hold it back.

-

-The exact date of planting depends almost entirely upon the moisture

-content of the soil. The principal condition to avoid is planting when the

-soil contains just enough moisture to germinate the seeds, but not enough

-to keep the plants growing. Usually it is better to plant when the soil is

-quite dry than when it is slightly moist, for in dry soil the seeds, if

-properly buried, lie without germinating and are ready to grow vigorously

-at the first rainfall. The most favorable time for seeding is just before

-or just after a good rain, when the soil is moist enough to form a ball in

-the hand.

-

-

-=RATE OF SEEDING.=

-

-The ordinary rate of seeding crimson clover is 15 pounds per acre,

-although the rate varies according to conditions. From 12 to 15 pounds per

-acre are usually sufficient when growing the crop for seed or when the

-soil is unusually rich. On poor soil, dry soil, or on soil which has not

-previously produced crimson clover 18 to 22 pounds of seed give better

-assurance of a stand. Heavy seeding is also desirable when planting late

-in the season or when a heavy crop is wanted for green manure early in the

-spring.

-

-Theoretically, 2 pounds of seed per acre would provide six plants

-for every square foot, which is a satisfactory stand. Under ordinary

-circumstances, however, it is necessary to allow for some of the seed

-being too deep, or too shallow, or failing to germinate, and for a certain

-percentage of winterkilling. It is also well to have a fairly thick stand

-of the young plants, so that the ground may be well covered during the

-early fall and thus prevent soil washing and the growth of winter weeds.

-

-

-=METHODS OF SEEDING.=

-

-The most common method of seeding crimson clover in intertilled crops

-is to scatter the seed broadcast with a rotary seeder or by hand. (Fig.

-6.) In order to place the seed on a fresh, moist seed bed it is commonly

-broadcasted immediately behind the cultivator at the last cultivation and

-is covered 'at once by a second cultivator. In tall corn the seed may be

-sown from horseback, the ears of the horse being covered with small bags

-to prevent the entrance of the flying seed. Slightly more seed is required

-when seeding in tall corn, as some seed catches in the corn plants. When

-seeding in cotton care must be taken to avoid injury to the opening bolls,

-which are easily knocked off or torn. This is best done by seeding by

-hand, covering the seed with a piece of brush dragged down the rows.

-

-In low-growing truck crops and on fallow ground crimson clover can be

-seeded with a wheelbarrow seeder. This implement distributes the seed more

-evenly than can be done by hand or with the rotary seeder, especially

-when planting a mixture of crops. The wheelbarrow seeder being somewhat

-awkward to handle is better adapted to smooth, level fields than to

-hillsides.

-

-Probably the very best method of seeding crimson clover is with the

-special clover or alfalfa drill. Where enough clover is grown to warrant

-its use this implement is to be highly recommended. The seed is sown in

-4-inch rows at just the proper depth and with the right pressure, and the

-fertilizer is placed exactly under each row, where it will be immediately

-available to the seedlings. Drilled clover requires less seed than

-broadcasted clover and produces a more even and certain stand.

-

-In place of the special clover drill an ordinary grain drill equipped with

-a clover-seed attachment can be used with good results. Special spouts

-should be arranged to lead from the clover-seed box back of the shoes or

-disks, in order to deposit the seed directly in the furrow. Chain furrow

-closers are best for covering the seed, as they leave the furrows broad

-and flat instead of =V= shaped and lessen the danger of the seedlings

-being covered with soil during a hard rain.

-

-[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Seeding crimson clover in corn at the last

-cultivation.]

-

-For use in intertilled crops there are several types of 1-row drills, the

-best for this purpose being the 5-hoe drill equipped with press wheels.

-

-Crimson-clover seed must be covered, but not too deeply. In most soils it

-is not enough to depend on rain to effect a covering. An inch in sandy

-soils and half an inch in clay soils appear to be about the right depth.

-Shallow planting gives the best results in wet seasons and deep planting

-in time of drought. Broadcasted seed should be covered with a spike-tooth

-harrow or a weeder rather than a heavy harrow or a shovel cultivator. A

-harrow made of fairly stiff brush is often useful in loose soil.

-

-

-=CHOICE OF SEED.=

-

-As a rule, fresh crimson-clover seed is of good viability, and failure

-to secure a stand is not often caused by failure of the seed to grow.

-Unlike most clovers, crimson-clover seed absorbs water readily and sprouts

-quickly. There are practically none of the hard seeds which are so

-frequent in red clover and sweet clover, and a germination of 90 per cent

-in 48 hour's is not uncommon. The seed deteriorates rapidly, however, and

-when more than 2 years old rarely shows a germination in excess of 50 per

-cent. Sometimes, when stocks of commercial seed are low, old seed finds

-its way to the market, and this, when planted, gives poor results. Old

-seed can usually be detected by the dull-brown appearance of the seed coat

-as contrasted with the bright, shiny, pinkish or greenish yellow color of

-fresh seed. Brown seed, however, is sometimes caused by weathering during

-harvest, and such seed is not objectionable unless the weathering has been

-excessive.

-

-A common impurity in crimson-clover seed is green, shrunken, and immature

-seed, caused by harvesting the crop before it is ripe. Crimson-clover seed

-does not germinate readily until it takes on a yellowish tinge; therefore,

-green seed should be rejected.

-

-Crimson-clover seed is larger and plumper than red-clover seed and if

-properly cleaned should not contain seeds of dodder or the smaller

-seeded weeds. Frequently, however, it does contain the seeds of field

-peppergrass, yellow trefoil, evening primrose, sheep sorrel, wild

-geranium, buttercups, mustards, and other weeds which blossom in early

-summer.

-

-

-=UNHULLED SEED.=

-

-There is a growing belief among farmers that they are less likely to lose

-a stand of crimson clover through drought if they sow the seed in the hull

-rather than use the hulled seed as it ordinarily appears on the market.

-It is claimed that the hulls hold the moisture to some extent and carry

-the seedlings over the critical day or two following germination, while

-some farmers assert that the unhulled seeds require more moisture for

-germination, and the seeds therefore do not sprout until there is enough

-moisture in the soil to keep the plants growing. Unhulled seed is bulky

-and is not often handled by commercial seedsmen, although one large grower

-sells the unhulled seed in compressed, bales similar to small cotton

-bales. It usually can be secured from neighboring farmers, however, or is

-easily saved at home. The seed can be harvested with a stripper from the

-standing crop in the field or the mature crop can be cut and thrashed like

-an ordinary grain crop. For local planting on a small scale unhulled seed

-is the cheapest and most accessible form of crimson-clover seed.

-

-Unhulled seed is somewhat difficult to sow, because the hairy hulls stick

-together in masses and can not be scattered uniformly. To avoid this

-trouble the seed may be mixed with moistened earth or with lime, or may be

-sown with a blower similar to those used on small forges. A better plan

-is to sow on a windy day, throwing the seed vertically into the air and

-allowing the wind to scatter it.

-

-Of unhulled seed of the best quality, 100 pounds contains about 1 bushel

-(60 pounds) of clean seed. The common grades, however, are usually more

-chaffy and require 120 to 180 pounds to make a bushel. From 2 to 3 pounds

-of unhulled seed are therefore regarded as equivalent to 1 pound of hulled

-seed. A bushel of unhulled seed, even when well packed down, weighs only 6

-to 10 pounds and contains about 4 pounds of seed. The appearance of both

-hulled and unhulled crimson-clover seed is shown in figure 7.

-

-[Illustration: Fig. 7.--Hulled seed of crimson clover of a common

-commercial grade and unhulled seed gathered with a homemade stripper.

-(Natural size.)]

-

-

-=USE OF A NURSE CROP.=

-

-In order to protect the crimson-clover seedlings from the hot sun of late

-August it is a common practice in some sections to plant with the clover a

-small quantity of some quick-growing crop like buckwheat, cowpeas, rape,

-or turnips. A thin stand of these heavier leaved plants furnishes an ideal

-shade for the young clover, and on soils which are inclined to bake it

-prevents the formation of a crust. The nurse crop must be seeded lightly,

-usually not more than half the regular rate, as the ordinary stand shades

-the ground so completely as to destroy the crimson clover. On hot clay

-soil in the Piedmont region the chances of obtaining a stand of clover are

-about twice as good with a nurse crop as without one.

-

-Buckwheat is the principal nurse crop northward from Washington, D. C.

-A common rate of seeding is 2 to 3 pecks of buckwheat in 15 pounds of

-crimson clover. If the planting can be made in July the buckwheat usually

-has time to ripen before frost and thus pay the cost of starting both

-stands.

-

-In the cotton belt cowpeas have been used successfully, especially

-when seeding on fallow ground. They are seeded broadcast at the rate

-of one-half bushel per acre. There is ordinarily not enough time for

-the cowpeas to mature, but they add to the value of the stand for fall

-pasturage and protect the clover from severe weather in the winter. Both

-cowpeas and buckwheat have the merit of being able to grow on poor soil.

-

-Dwarf Essex rape has been used as a nurse crop in a few cases where the

-clover was to be pastured by hogs or sheep in the fall. From 2 to 3 pounds

-of rape, sown in August, furnishes sufficient cover for a nurse crop.

-Cowhorn turnips, winter kale, and mustard are also satisfactory nurse

-crops if planted at a rate not exceeding 1 pound of seed per acre. If the

-clover is to be saved for seed these latter crops are objectionable, as a

-few plants will live over winter and ripen at the same time as the clover.

-

-Where a nurse crop can not be grown conveniently, the crimson-clover

-seedlings can be protected from the sun by a light top-dressing of straw,

-spread just after the seed is sown.

-

-

-SEED MIXTURES.

-

-Crimson clover is frequently grown in combination with winter grain, hairy

-vetch, or other forage crops having a similar period of growth. The mixed

-crop is less liable to lodge than the single crop, cures more readily in

-damp weather, and usually furnishes a heavier yield. Another advantage of

-the mixed crop is that if either should fail the other will serve as a

-cover crop during the winter and bring some return the following spring.

-Mixed crops are not desirable if the clover is to be saved for seed.

-

-South of central Virginia crimson clover is usually grown in combination

-with winter oats. An early variety of oats, such as the Fulghum, or a late

-variety of clover, such as the white blooming, is usually the best, as

-the oat crop matures somewhat later than the ordinary crimson clover. The

-customary rate of seeding is 15 pounds of the clover and 2½ bushels of

-oats per acre. In Delaware and eastern Maryland the most popular companion

-crop for crimson clover is winter wheat, although barley makes a desirable

-hay crop and is sometimes used. Eye is not desirable for hay, but it

-is probably the best of the grains for green manure, as it is hardy,

-vigorous, and starts growth early in the spring. Rye and wheat are seeded

-at the rate of 1 bushel per acre with the customary quantity of crimson

-clover. The accompanying illustration (fig. 8) shows a field seeded to a

-mixture of crimson clover and wheat. Usually the grain is well headed,

-but in the milk or soft-dough stage, when the clover is ready to cut, the

-yield of the mixed crimson clover and grain is often 25 to 50 per cent

-greater than that of the clover alone.

-

-[Illustration: Fig. 8.--Crimson clover and wheat in mixture. In the

-foreground the crop has been cut and fed green to stock. The remainder

-was cut the next day for hay. The grain prevents the crimson clover from

-lodging.]

-

-Hairy vetch and crimson clover are sometimes grown together, seeding at

-the rate of 20 pounds and 10 pounds per acre, respectively. As both these

-plants are likely to lodge in good soil, however, one of the grains is

-usually included, a common seeding mixture being oats 2 bushels, hairy

-vetch 12 to 15 pounds, and crimson clover 5 pounds. Bur clover, black

-medic, and other winter-growing legumes are sometimes found in mixtures

-with crimson clover, although such mixtures generally occur by accident

-rather than intent. Black medic and crimson clover make' a particularly

-good combination on rich soil.

-

-In most of the crimson-clover area the cultivated grasses, such as

-timothy, redtop, and orchard grass, are not commonly grown. However,

-where these grasses flourish they may well be seeded at the same time

-as the crimson clover, provided the latter is planted not earlier than

-September 15. In some sections Johnson grass and Bermuda grass make useful

-combinations with crimson clover, the grasses making most of their growth

-in the summer and the clover in the fall and spring.

-

-

-

-

-=TREATMENT OF THE STAND.=

-

-

-Ordinarily no special treatment is required after seeding and the clover

-goes into the winter without any further handling. If the growth is so

-rank that there is danger of the plants being too succulent to survive the

-winter, the tops can be reduced by light grazing with small animals, such

-as calves, sheep, or chickens, or by mowing with the cutter bar of the

-mowing machine set high. If the stand is backward, it may be stimulated

-by a light application of nitrate of soda. It is said that a thin stand

-can be thickened by grazing lightly with sheep, as the grazing induces

-heavier stooling. The aim should be to carry the clover into the winter

-with well-hardened leafy stems and with a well-established root system to

-withstand heaving out in the spring.

-

-In fields which are to be saved for seed a wise precaution is to go over

-them early in the spring and chop out the weeds. If wild onion and other

-weeds are chopped off in April, they do not make enough growth by May to

-contaminate the seed crop.

-

-

-

-

-=MALADIES.=

-

-

-The only disease seriously affecting crimson clover is the clover

-stem-rot, root-rot, or wilt, a disease resembling the stem-rot, or wilt,

-of lettuce and other plants. This disease is prevalent in nearly all

-the crimson-clover States and sometimes does considerable damage. The

-stem-rot affects the clover at all seasons, but is more noticeable in the

-spring, when it sometimes causes large spots of clover suddenly to wilt

-and fall. Occasionally an entire field is affected, but the disease is

-most prevalent in low, rich spots. Examination of the plants discloses

-a rotting off or decay of the stems close to the ground, followed

-immediately by the appearance on the stems of small black lumps, or

-sclerotia, about the size of clover seed. These sclerotia are a means of

-spreading the disease and are often harvested in the hay or in the seed

-crop. The only known remedy for the stem-rot is to cease growing clover or

-alfalfa on an infested field for three or four years, substituting cowpeas

-or soy beans. Seed from fields known to be infested should, of course, be

-avoided.

-

-No insects are known to affect crimson clover seriously, nor are weeds

-of great importance in clover planted on clean fields. When planted in

-cultivated crops or in poorly prepared ground crimson clover is often

-seriously damaged by a rank growth of chickweed, knawel (moss weed),

-winter cress, and other winter-growing annuals.

-

-

-WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1920

-

-

-       *       *       *       *       *

-

-

-=Transcriber Note=

-

-Minor typos have been corrected. Illustrations were moved to prevent

-splitting paragraphs. Produced from files generously made available by

-USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant materials are placed in

-the Public Domain.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142:

-Growing Crimson Clover, by Leonard Wheeler Kephart

-

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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142: Growing
+Crimson Clover, by Leonard Wheeler Kephart
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
+other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
+whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of
+the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
+www.gutenberg.org.  If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
+to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.
+
+Title: USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142: Growing Crimson Clover
+
+Author: Leonard Wheeler Kephart
+
+Release Date: September 10, 2020 [EBook #63166]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK USDA FARMERS' BULLETIN NO. 1142 ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Tom Cosmas from files generously made available
+by USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant
+materials are placed in the Public Domain.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber Note
+
+Text emphasis denoted as _Italics_ and =Bold=.
+
+
+
+
+                          FARMERS' BULLETIN 1142
+
+                 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
+
+
+                                 GROWING
+
+                                 CRIMSON
+
+                                  CLOVER
+
+
+Crimson Clover is a handsome fall-planted annual, widely cultivated in
+the Middle Atlantic and Southeastern States for forage, a cover crop, and
+green manure.
+
+Crimson clover is commonly sown in corn at the last cultivation. If the
+soil is heavy, a better practice is to sow after a crop of small grain or
+on other land which can be specially prepared.
+
+Crimson clover will grow on poorer soil than most clovers and is not
+particularly dependent upon lime. For this reason it has been widely used
+for restoring the productivity of soils which have been abused. A more
+important function is to maintain crop yields on soils which are already
+moderately rich.
+
+The most common difficulty in growing crimson clover is the killing of the
+young stands by drought. This is best prevented by the preparation of a
+fine, moist, and firmly compacted seed bed.
+
+August and September are the best months for sowing crimson clover, the
+exact date depending upon the condition of the soil. Either hulled or
+unhulled seed may be used, the latter giving somewhat greater certainty of
+a stand.
+
+Crimson clover is often sown with a nurse crop of buckwheat or cowpeas, to
+protect it from the sun. A light covering of straw is also effective.
+
+Combinations of crimson clover with oats, hairy vetch, or other fall-sown
+forage crops give somewhat higher yields and a surer stand than crimson
+clover alone.
+
+No insects trouble crimson clover seriously, and the only severe disease
+is the stem-rot, or wilt.
+
+              Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry
+                           WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief
+                      Washington, D. C. August, 1920
+
+
+
+
+                       =GROWING CRIMSON CLOVER.=[1]
+
+
+                  L. W. Kephart, _Scientific Assistant,
+                  Office of Forage-Crop Investigations._
+
+[1] This bulletin is a revision of Farmers' Bulletin 550, entitled
+"Crimson Clover: Growing the Crop," by J. M. Westgate, formerly Agronomist
+in Charge of Clover Investigations, Office of Forage-Crop Investigations.
+The illustrations and some of the subject matter of the old bulletin are
+retained in the present issue.
+
+
+
+
+=CONTENTS.=
+
+                                                 Page.
+
+  History and adaptations                           4
+  Varieties                                         5
+  Use in the rotation                               6
+    Seeding in intertilled crops                    6
+    Seeding after an early-maturing crop            7
+  Requirements for obtaining a stand                8
+    Soils                                           9
+    Preparation of the seed bed                    10
+    Fertilizers                                    11
+    Lime                                           12
+    Inoculation                                    13
+  Seeding                                          13
+    Time of seeding                                13
+    Rate of seeding                                14
+    Methods of seeding                             14
+    Choice of seed                                 16
+    Unhulled seed                                  16
+    Use of a nurse crop                            17
+    Seed mixtures                                  18
+  Treatment of the stand                           20
+  Maladies                                         20
+
+
+[dropcap: CRIMSON] CLOVER is an annual or winter annual true clover,
+resembling common red clover in size and general appearance, the most
+noticeable difference being the flower heads, which are long, narrow, and
+pointed instead of short, spherical, and compact (fig. 1). The individual
+flowers of this clover are commonly of a rich scarlet color, and as the
+heads are borne mostly on the ends of the stems, a field of crimson clover
+in full bloom presents a strikingly brilliant appearance. Because of the
+color of the flowers, crimson clover is often termed "scarlet clover,"
+although it is also known, less commonly, as "French clover," "Italian
+clover," "German clover," "incarnate clover," and "annual clover." It is
+the only annual true clover that is of more than incidental agricultural
+importance in the eastern United States.
+
+Probably the most important characteristic of crimson clover is its
+ability to grow and make its crop during the fall and early spring,
+when the land is not occupied by the ordinary summer-grown crops. In
+sections where it succeeds, it can be sown following a grain crop or in
+an intertilled crop in late summer and is ready to harvest for hay, to
+pasture, or to turn under as green manure in time to plow the land for
+spring-seeded crops, such as corn or cotton. South of central Delaware
+it may even be cut for seed and the stubble plowed under in time for
+seeding a quick-maturing strain of corn. Because it can be grown during
+the offseason of the year, crimson clover is one of the most economical
+legumes for green manuring, and it has been largely used for that purpose
+in the regions to which it is adapted. The many uses to which this crop
+may be put merit a careful study of the best methods of establishing a
+stand of this clover on the farm.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 1.--A single plant of crimson clover.]
+
+
+
+
+=HISTORY AND ADAPTATIONS.=
+
+
+Crimson clover is a native of Europe, where it is cultivated as a forage
+and green-manuring crop in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, and
+Great Britain. Large quantities of crimson-clover seed are exported from
+Europe to the United States, especially from the districts of central
+France, where crimson clover is the premier leguminous forage plant.
+
+Crimson clover was introduced into this country as early as 1818, and the
+seed was widely distributed by the United States Patent Office in 1855.
+The plant was at first regarded more for its ornamental value than as a
+forage plant, however, and it was not until about 1880 that its value for
+agricultural purposes began to be appreciated.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 2.--Map of a part of the United States, showing the
+region where crimson clover is most widely grown.]
+
+At present crimson clover is grown most widely in the lighter sandy
+areas of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, where the soil is not very rich
+and the winters are not severe. (Fig. 2.) The plant does not withstand
+either extreme cold or extreme heat, and its culture is therefore limited
+to regions which enjoy at some time during the year a long period of
+relatively mild, moist weather. Ordinarily, this clover does not survive
+the winter in latitudes north of southern Pennsylvania, while in some of
+the Southern States it is frequently killed by dry, hot weather in the
+fall or spring. It succeeds well in the humid regions near the Gulf of
+Mexico and in the Pacific Northwest, but in these areas it is not widely
+grown.
+
+Normally, crimson clover is a winter annual comparable to winter wheat;
+that is, it is planted in the fall, lies more or less dormant over winter,
+grows rapidly in the spring, and dies, after going to seed, early in the
+summer. Where the summers are not too hot it can be planted in the spring
+and grown as a summer crop, but for this purpose other clovers are usually
+preferred.
+
+
+
+
+=VARIETIES.=
+
+
+Crimson clover is exceedingly variable both in color of flower and in
+time of maturity. These variations are particularly noticeable in fields
+planted from a mixed lot of seed, the flowers presenting a range in color
+from nearly pure white to a deep purplish red and the seeds a difference
+in date of ripening of more than a month. Since crimson clover is thought
+to be mainly self-pollinated, it is easy to fix these qualities by
+selection and to establish definite varieties.
+
+In Europe six or seven different varieties of crimson clover are
+recognized and sold by seedsmen, varying from extra early crimson flowered
+to, extra late white flowered and from very hardy to non-hardy. By the use
+of a succession of these varieties the European farmer is able to spread
+his harvest over six or seven weeks instead of having it concentrated
+within a few days, as in America. Similarly, the culture of the plant has
+been extended northward from Italy to Sweden by means of hardy strains.
+A wild form of crimson clover having yellowish flowers and hairy foliage
+occurs in southern and eastern Europe and in England, but it is not of
+economic value.
+
+In America no sharply defined varieties of crimson clover are recognized,
+except a white-blooming variety which is sold in the South and is two
+weeks later than the ordinary crimson-flowered sort. Hardy strains have
+been developed and used in a small way in Massachusetts and Ohio, but
+these are not commercially available.
+
+
+
+
+=USE IN THE ROTATION.=
+
+
+=SEEDING IN INTERTILLED CROPS.=
+
+In former years a large percentage of the crimson-clover acreage was
+seeded in corn or other intertilled crops at or shortly after the time of
+the last cultivation. In most of the crimson-clover area it is possible
+to make such a seeding, obtain a good growth during the fall and early
+spring, and mow or plow under the clover in time, for breaking up the land
+for another crop of corn. This has been the standard method of growing
+this clover, and it is still the leading practice in many of the older
+sections. Corn in the summer with crimson clover in the winter is a cheap
+and convenient method of growing a cash crop and a restorative crop the
+same year, and the reputation of crimson clover as a crop increaser is
+largely based on this simple rotation. Instances are by no means rare
+where the yield of corn has been gradually increased from 10 bushels per
+acre to as high as 70 bushels by this means.
+
+The difficulty with this method is the possibility of the stand of young
+clover failing through drought. The growing corn makes a heavy demand on
+the soil moisture, and if there is not enough moisture for both clover and
+corn the latter gets the larger share and the tender clover plants are
+likely to succumb. Because of the risk involved, farmers in the upland
+sections are seeking other and more reliable methods of seeding, and the
+sowing of crimson clover in corn is gradually decreasing.
+
+Where the danger from fall drought is not serious, crimson clover may be
+sown in corn at the time of the last cultivation or when the corn leaves
+have just begun to wither. South of central Virginia there is likely to be
+much hot weather after the corn is laid by, in which case it is best to
+delay the seeding of the clover until after the first rain. The appearance
+of a field of crimson clover seeded in corn the previous summer is shown
+in figure 3.
+
+South of southern Virginia crimson clover can be seeded in cotton,
+provided the field is free from crab-grass and other weeds and the soil is
+not too dry. In the extreme north of the cotton belt the seed may be sown
+at the last working of the cotton; farther south this occurs too early and
+it is necessary to wait for a rain, which often comes at about the time of
+the first picking.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 3.--Crimson clover in an old cornfield. The clover
+was seeded in the corn at the last cultivation. A fodder stack is to be
+observed in the middle foreground. The cornstalks have been removed to
+avoid difficulty in mowing the clover.]
+
+Crimson clover may be seeded in practically any of the cultivated truck
+crops which receive their last cultivation from 8 to 12 weeks before
+the first frost. It is not practicable to seed the clover in late
+potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other root crops, as the digging in the fall
+practically destroys the clover.
+
+Ordinarily, crimson clover does not succeed when sown in cowpeas, sorghum,
+or watermelons, owing to the heavy shade cast by these crops. It can,
+however, be seeded in tobacco, tomatoes, cultivated soy beans, and
+cantaloupes.
+
+
+=SEEDING AFTER AN EARLY-MATURING CROP.=
+
+Seeding crimson clover in an intertilled crop is successful mostly on
+sandy soils, which can easily be prepared for seeding even in mid-summer.
+On clay soils and in weedy fields this method of seeding is likely to be
+unsatisfactory. Such soils are usually hard and dry in August and can with
+difficulty be brought into condition for a seed bed, with the result that
+a large percentage of such seedings fail. A better plan on clay soils, and
+on sandy soils in many cases, is to seed the crimson clover on specially
+prepared ground from which all other crops have been removed. Such ground
+can be made as fine and firm as desired. Furthermore, the clover after
+planting does not have to compete with another crop for the soil moisture.
+This method is somewhat more troublesome than planting in intertilled
+crops, but the greater certainty of getting a stand more than offsets the
+greater cost. Planting crimson clover on specially prepared ground has
+extended the culture of the plant to regions where it was not hitherto
+grown and is increasing the reliability of the crop in sections where it
+has been long established.
+
+In the ordinary rotation, crimson clover follows a crop of small grain.
+However, it may follow any crop that is removed 8 to 10 weeks before
+frost, or it may be seeded on fallow ground. Ground from which early
+potatoes have been removed is especially favorable for the establishment
+of a stand of this clover. The residual effect of the fertilizers used on
+potatoes is partially responsible for this, while the well-settled seed
+bed, which requires only leveling and harrowing, also presents favorable
+conditions for the crimson-clover seedlings.
+
+In many parts of the South crimson clover can be seeded in corn stubble if
+an early variety of corn has been used. Although there is some risk that
+the clover may not make enough growth before winter if seeding is delayed
+until the corn is harvested, the danger of losing the stand is not as
+great as if the clover were seeded earlier, while the corn was standing.
+
+Crimson clover is sometimes seeded after a grass or clover crop if the
+rainfall in July is sufficient to cause the sod to decay. In the far South
+it can be planted after peanuts, while in all sections it can be sown as
+a catch crop on land where cotton or other crops have died early in the
+season.
+
+
+
+
+=REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING A STAND.=
+
+
+Probably the difficulty most commonly experienced in growing crimson
+clover is failure to obtain a satisfactory stand. Sometimes the seed does
+not germinate well; more commonly good germination is secured, but the
+seedlings wither and die before they can become established. Frequently
+not more than 50 per cent of the plants survive the first three weeks,
+while a complete failure of the crop is a common risk even in the sections
+where crimson clover is most widely grown.
+
+The most common cause of failure to obtain a stand is hot, dry
+weather after planting. The seedlings of crimson clover are tender,
+succulent, and shallow rooted and are easily killed by lack of moisture.
+Unfortunately, in most of the crimson-clover area the weather during late
+August and early September is very likely to be hot and droughty, making
+the planting of the clover at that time rather hazardous. Some farmers
+attempt to avoid this difficulty by planting either in early summer or in
+October, after the fall rains; there is danger, however, that the plants
+will make too much or too little growth to survive the winter. In the
+long run it is probably better to plant at the regular time and depend
+upon thorough preparation of the seed bed to offset any deficiency in the
+rainfall.
+
+
+=SOILS.=
+
+Crimson clover can be grown successfully on almost any type of soil if it
+is reasonably rich, well drained, and supplied with organic matter and the
+proper inoculating bacteria. Probably two-thirds of the crimson-clover
+acreage is found on the sandy soils of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, but
+the crop is not necessarily restricted to sandy soils and is in fact
+increasing in importance on the red-clay soils of the Piedmont region and
+in the limestone valleys of Virginia and Tennessee.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 4.--a crimson-clover failure on ground too poor in
+humus.]
+
+Crimson clover has been an important factor in increasing yields on soils
+that have been abused, but it is not a crop for land which is naturally
+very poor. It does not do well on rough, newly cleared areas, raw
+subsoil, Hard, dry clay, or sterile sand. (Fig. 4.) For such soils soy
+beans, cowpeas, and velvet beans are better suited and should be used for
+the first three or four years until crimson clover can be successfully
+grown. Crimson clover can be made to grow on poor soils, provided they
+are specially prepared by liming, manuring, and inoculating. In general,
+however, crimson clover is a crop for maintaining soils which are already
+fairly productive rather than one for inducing productivity in soils where
+it is quite lacking. If there is any doubt whether the soil is suitable
+for crimson clover, a small plat should be prepared under field conditions
+and planted one year for trial.
+
+
+=PREPARATION OF THE SEED BED.=
+
+To secure a full, even stand of crimson clover with any degree of
+regularity the seed bed should be well and thoroughly prepared. The soil
+should be firm, moist, well settled, and fine on top. Only indifferent
+success can possibly be expected if the seed is scattered on land which
+is loose, dry, and full of hard lumps and trash. A loose seed bed dries
+out quickly, heaves during the winter, and on some soils blows and washes
+badly.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 5.--A corrugated roller or pulverizer, an excellent
+implement for preparing the seed bed for crimson clover.]
+
+On the other hand, the seed bed should not be too hard, for although this
+clover often grows successfully on soil which would be too solid for
+corn, there must be at| least enough loose soil on the surface to cover
+the seed. Thorough preparation is the very best insurance against failure
+of the stand through drought or winterkilling, and the most successful
+growers sow crimson clover on land as well prepared as that for wheat.
+
+To secure a fine, firm seed bed without drying out the surface soil, the
+land should be prepared with as few operations as possible. A single
+working when the soil is in a moist, crumbly condition is better than half
+a dozen workings when the soil is too wet or too dry. In very sandy soils,
+or soils which do not form a crust, the only preparation needed is to keep
+down the weeds.
+
+An excellent tool for making the seed bed is the corrugated roller or
+pulverizer (fig. 5). This implement is an improvement over the old plain
+roller for breaking clods and is unexcelled for keeping the surface soil
+moist. It can be used after plowing and again before planting, and even
+after planting if the soil needs to be compacted. Rolling of some kind to
+firm the soil is especially important on sandy soils, but it is equally
+beneficial on clay soils if they are cloddy.
+
+When clover is seeded in an intertilled crop, such as corn, cotton, or
+tomatoes, the customary cultivation received by these crops is ordinarily
+sufficient preparation for crimson clover. In sandy soil the clover is
+often seeded without any immediate preparation, but a light stirring with
+a harrow-toothed cultivator is desirable if the ground is hard. If the
+clover is to be used for hay or seed, the preceding crop should be laid by
+level rather than in ridges. This will facilitate cutting the clover.
+
+Where crimson clover is seeded after a crop of small grain, the stubble
+should be plowed or disked as soon as possible after the grain is cut.
+Stubble land dries out quickly, partly because the soil is suddenly left
+bare and partly because of the drain on the soil moisture by the crops of
+ragweed and other coarse-growing weeds which always follow a grain crop.
+Unless the soil is cultivated at once it becomes very difficult to obtain
+anything like an ideal seed bed for crimson clover. This difficulty is
+usually more pronounced after oats and barley than after rye and wheat.
+Ordinarily the best practice is to disk the grain stubble within a week
+after harvest and harrow every week, or at least after every rain, in
+order to settle the ground, destroy the weeds, and assist in holding the
+moisture pending the time of seeding the clover. Plowing the stubble
+is more expensive than disking and requires that the ground be allowed
+to settle for a month or six weeks in order to secure a firm seed bed.
+Plowing is an advantage in a wet season, because plowed ground dries
+readily; it is a disadvantage in a dry season for the same reason.
+
+
+=FERTILIZERS.=
+
+On moderately rich soil the fertilizer applied to the preceding crop is
+sufficient to produce a good crop of crimson clover. This is especially
+true where the clover follows such crops as potatoes or tomatoes, which
+ordinarily are heavily treated with fertilizers. It is important to
+realize, however, that crimson clover has a very short period of growth,
+and that to make a vigorous growth it must have a good supply of plant
+food. On sandy soils where fertilizers have not recently been applied it
+is often the practice to apply from 150 to 200 pounds of acid phosphate,
+with some potash fertilizer if it can be afforded. On clay soils 200 or
+300 pounds per acre of acid phosphate ordinarily are sufficient. On many
+soils a light application of nitrate of soda will assist materially in
+giving the young clover plants a good start and often will enable them to
+withstand the effects of a late drought or severe winter which otherwise
+might have injured the stand. If the seeding has been delayed, as by
+waiting for suitable rains, an application of not more than 75 pounds of
+nitrate of soda per acre will stimulate the young plants and enable them
+to make a better growth before winter.
+
+Fertilizer is usually applied at seeding time, but a few farmers have been
+found who apply it as a top-dressing very early the following summer,
+giving as a reason that there is then no loss from winter leaching and
+that by this method the plants are nourished at the time they are making
+their most vigorous growth. Such top-dressings of fertilizer should not
+be made while the leaves are wet with rain or dew. Where stable manure is
+applied to crimson clover very marked results follow. It may be spread
+just before seeding when the clover is not grown in an intertilled crop,
+or it may be applied as a top-dressing in winter or very early spring.
+
+The more vigorous the growth that can be induced by the application of
+suitable fertilizers the more marked will be the increase in the yield of
+the succeeding crops. On soil in a low state of productivity the use of
+a reasonable amount of fertilizer will often enable a successful crop of
+clover and succeeding crops to be produced, where had not the fertilizers
+been applied the clover would have failed. Furthermore, the following
+crop, particularly if it be corn, would also fail to give the increased
+yield which follows a successful stand of crimson clover.
+
+An application of barnyard manure will be found to be especially effective
+in obtaining a stand of crimson clover on any thin, galled spots in the
+field. The manure should be worked into the ground before seeding, and,
+if possible, a second application as a top-dressing should be given a day
+or two after planting. The top-dressing stimulates the seedlings and if
+strawy helps to protect them from the August sun.
+
+
+=LIME.=
+
+Crimson clover is not as dependent on lime as red clover and alfalfa,
+being more like alsike clover in this respect. It does not thrive on soils
+which are very "sour," but on well-drained soils in a productive condition
+crimson clover frequently makes a vigorous growth, even though the soil
+may show a high lime requirement. The stands are usually more uniformly
+good over the limed parts of such fields than on the unlimed parts,
+although it is sometimes questionable whether the benefit derived from
+liming is profitable. Liming is more often desirable on clay soils than
+on sandy soils, and usually gives better results when used in conjunction
+with fertilizers than when used alone. On light sandy soils deficient
+in humus burnt lime may be actually injurious. In considering the
+advisability of applying lime one must not lose sight of the need of lime
+on the part of such other crops as corn, cantaloupes, or peaches, which
+are either grown with or follow the clover. Inasmuch as the effect of
+liming varies greatly in different localities, it is suggested that small
+plats be treated experimentally at different rates before any considerable
+areas are limed.
+
+
+=INOCULATION.=
+
+A large part of the value of all clovers lies in their ability to utilize
+the nitrogen of the air and add it to the soil. When grown on rich land,
+the clovers, like many other plants, use the nitrogen already present in
+the soil and are not stimulated to contribute any to their own support or
+to the support of other crops. To enable the clover to use the nitrogen in
+the air the presence of the proper nodule-forming bacteria in the soil is
+necessary.
+
+Fortunately, most of the soils in the crimson-clover sections appear to
+be already inoculated, and artificial inoculation is not often necessary,
+except on soils new to the crop. Crimson clover is inoculated by the same
+strain of bacteria which occurs on the roots of the other true clovers;
+consequently, a field which has produced a good stand of red, mammoth,
+alsike, white, hop, Carolina, rabbit's-foot, or buffalo clover is usually
+inoculated sufficiently for crimson clover. Sweet clover, Japan clover,
+and bur clover are not true clovers and are inoculated by a different
+strain of bacteria.
+
+The importance of inoculation is well shown by an experiment conducted by
+the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. In this experiment yields of
+4,057 and 6,100 pounds of crimson-clover hay were secured on inoculated
+soils, while on corresponding areas which were not inoculated the yields
+were 761 pounds on one area and nothing on the other.
+
+The soil can be inoculated artificially by means of pure cultures of the
+bacteria or by the transfer of a small quantity of soil from another
+clover field.[2] The latter method is the more certain, but is open to
+the danger of introducing noxious weeds, insects, and plant diseases,
+especially if the soil is brought from a distance. The presence of
+stem-rot in many sections makes the use of soil especially dangerous. This
+disease can, be carried with the soil from field to field.
+
+[2] Sufficient pure culture for inoculating seed for 1 acre can be secured
+free from the United States Department of Agriculture. Full directions for
+using the culture accompany each bottle. Directions for inoculating by the
+soil-transfer method can also be obtained from this Department.
+
+
+
+
+=SEEDING.=
+
+
+=TIME OF SEEDING.=
+
+Crimson clover is usually sown between August 15 and October 1, the
+general rule being to plant about 60 days before the first killing frost
+is expected. South of Virginia crimson clover can be seeded as late as
+November 1, although if planted late more seed should be used and a light
+dressing of nitrate of soda applied, in order to stimulate the young
+plants. Seeding earlier than August 1 is seldom advisable unless the crop
+is sown with some other crop the shade of which will hold it back.
+
+The exact date of planting depends almost entirely upon the moisture
+content of the soil. The principal condition to avoid is planting when the
+soil contains just enough moisture to germinate the seeds, but not enough
+to keep the plants growing. Usually it is better to plant when the soil is
+quite dry than when it is slightly moist, for in dry soil the seeds, if
+properly buried, lie without germinating and are ready to grow vigorously
+at the first rainfall. The most favorable time for seeding is just before
+or just after a good rain, when the soil is moist enough to form a ball in
+the hand.
+
+
+=RATE OF SEEDING.=
+
+The ordinary rate of seeding crimson clover is 15 pounds per acre,
+although the rate varies according to conditions. From 12 to 15 pounds per
+acre are usually sufficient when growing the crop for seed or when the
+soil is unusually rich. On poor soil, dry soil, or on soil which has not
+previously produced crimson clover 18 to 22 pounds of seed give better
+assurance of a stand. Heavy seeding is also desirable when planting late
+in the season or when a heavy crop is wanted for green manure early in the
+spring.
+
+Theoretically, 2 pounds of seed per acre would provide six plants
+for every square foot, which is a satisfactory stand. Under ordinary
+circumstances, however, it is necessary to allow for some of the seed
+being too deep, or too shallow, or failing to germinate, and for a certain
+percentage of winterkilling. It is also well to have a fairly thick stand
+of the young plants, so that the ground may be well covered during the
+early fall and thus prevent soil washing and the growth of winter weeds.
+
+
+=METHODS OF SEEDING.=
+
+The most common method of seeding crimson clover in intertilled crops
+is to scatter the seed broadcast with a rotary seeder or by hand. (Fig.
+6.) In order to place the seed on a fresh, moist seed bed it is commonly
+broadcasted immediately behind the cultivator at the last cultivation and
+is covered 'at once by a second cultivator. In tall corn the seed may be
+sown from horseback, the ears of the horse being covered with small bags
+to prevent the entrance of the flying seed. Slightly more seed is required
+when seeding in tall corn, as some seed catches in the corn plants. When
+seeding in cotton care must be taken to avoid injury to the opening bolls,
+which are easily knocked off or torn. This is best done by seeding by
+hand, covering the seed with a piece of brush dragged down the rows.
+
+In low-growing truck crops and on fallow ground crimson clover can be
+seeded with a wheelbarrow seeder. This implement distributes the seed more
+evenly than can be done by hand or with the rotary seeder, especially
+when planting a mixture of crops. The wheelbarrow seeder being somewhat
+awkward to handle is better adapted to smooth, level fields than to
+hillsides.
+
+Probably the very best method of seeding crimson clover is with the
+special clover or alfalfa drill. Where enough clover is grown to warrant
+its use this implement is to be highly recommended. The seed is sown in
+4-inch rows at just the proper depth and with the right pressure, and the
+fertilizer is placed exactly under each row, where it will be immediately
+available to the seedlings. Drilled clover requires less seed than
+broadcasted clover and produces a more even and certain stand.
+
+In place of the special clover drill an ordinary grain drill equipped with
+a clover-seed attachment can be used with good results. Special spouts
+should be arranged to lead from the clover-seed box back of the shoes or
+disks, in order to deposit the seed directly in the furrow. Chain furrow
+closers are best for covering the seed, as they leave the furrows broad
+and flat instead of =V= shaped and lessen the danger of the seedlings
+being covered with soil during a hard rain.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Seeding crimson clover in corn at the last
+cultivation.]
+
+For use in intertilled crops there are several types of 1-row drills, the
+best for this purpose being the 5-hoe drill equipped with press wheels.
+
+Crimson-clover seed must be covered, but not too deeply. In most soils it
+is not enough to depend on rain to effect a covering. An inch in sandy
+soils and half an inch in clay soils appear to be about the right depth.
+Shallow planting gives the best results in wet seasons and deep planting
+in time of drought. Broadcasted seed should be covered with a spike-tooth
+harrow or a weeder rather than a heavy harrow or a shovel cultivator. A
+harrow made of fairly stiff brush is often useful in loose soil.
+
+
+=CHOICE OF SEED.=
+
+As a rule, fresh crimson-clover seed is of good viability, and failure
+to secure a stand is not often caused by failure of the seed to grow.
+Unlike most clovers, crimson-clover seed absorbs water readily and sprouts
+quickly. There are practically none of the hard seeds which are so
+frequent in red clover and sweet clover, and a germination of 90 per cent
+in 48 hour's is not uncommon. The seed deteriorates rapidly, however, and
+when more than 2 years old rarely shows a germination in excess of 50 per
+cent. Sometimes, when stocks of commercial seed are low, old seed finds
+its way to the market, and this, when planted, gives poor results. Old
+seed can usually be detected by the dull-brown appearance of the seed coat
+as contrasted with the bright, shiny, pinkish or greenish yellow color of
+fresh seed. Brown seed, however, is sometimes caused by weathering during
+harvest, and such seed is not objectionable unless the weathering has been
+excessive.
+
+A common impurity in crimson-clover seed is green, shrunken, and immature
+seed, caused by harvesting the crop before it is ripe. Crimson-clover seed
+does not germinate readily until it takes on a yellowish tinge; therefore,
+green seed should be rejected.
+
+Crimson-clover seed is larger and plumper than red-clover seed and if
+properly cleaned should not contain seeds of dodder or the smaller
+seeded weeds. Frequently, however, it does contain the seeds of field
+peppergrass, yellow trefoil, evening primrose, sheep sorrel, wild
+geranium, buttercups, mustards, and other weeds which blossom in early
+summer.
+
+
+=UNHULLED SEED.=
+
+There is a growing belief among farmers that they are less likely to lose
+a stand of crimson clover through drought if they sow the seed in the hull
+rather than use the hulled seed as it ordinarily appears on the market.
+It is claimed that the hulls hold the moisture to some extent and carry
+the seedlings over the critical day or two following germination, while
+some farmers assert that the unhulled seeds require more moisture for
+germination, and the seeds therefore do not sprout until there is enough
+moisture in the soil to keep the plants growing. Unhulled seed is bulky
+and is not often handled by commercial seedsmen, although one large grower
+sells the unhulled seed in compressed, bales similar to small cotton
+bales. It usually can be secured from neighboring farmers, however, or is
+easily saved at home. The seed can be harvested with a stripper from the
+standing crop in the field or the mature crop can be cut and thrashed like
+an ordinary grain crop. For local planting on a small scale unhulled seed
+is the cheapest and most accessible form of crimson-clover seed.
+
+Unhulled seed is somewhat difficult to sow, because the hairy hulls stick
+together in masses and can not be scattered uniformly. To avoid this
+trouble the seed may be mixed with moistened earth or with lime, or may be
+sown with a blower similar to those used on small forges. A better plan
+is to sow on a windy day, throwing the seed vertically into the air and
+allowing the wind to scatter it.
+
+Of unhulled seed of the best quality, 100 pounds contains about 1 bushel
+(60 pounds) of clean seed. The common grades, however, are usually more
+chaffy and require 120 to 180 pounds to make a bushel. From 2 to 3 pounds
+of unhulled seed are therefore regarded as equivalent to 1 pound of hulled
+seed. A bushel of unhulled seed, even when well packed down, weighs only 6
+to 10 pounds and contains about 4 pounds of seed. The appearance of both
+hulled and unhulled crimson-clover seed is shown in figure 7.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 7.--Hulled seed of crimson clover of a common
+commercial grade and unhulled seed gathered with a homemade stripper.
+(Natural size.)]
+
+
+=USE OF A NURSE CROP.=
+
+In order to protect the crimson-clover seedlings from the hot sun of late
+August it is a common practice in some sections to plant with the clover a
+small quantity of some quick-growing crop like buckwheat, cowpeas, rape,
+or turnips. A thin stand of these heavier leaved plants furnishes an ideal
+shade for the young clover, and on soils which are inclined to bake it
+prevents the formation of a crust. The nurse crop must be seeded lightly,
+usually not more than half the regular rate, as the ordinary stand shades
+the ground so completely as to destroy the crimson clover. On hot clay
+soil in the Piedmont region the chances of obtaining a stand of clover are
+about twice as good with a nurse crop as without one.
+
+Buckwheat is the principal nurse crop northward from Washington, D. C.
+A common rate of seeding is 2 to 3 pecks of buckwheat in 15 pounds of
+crimson clover. If the planting can be made in July the buckwheat usually
+has time to ripen before frost and thus pay the cost of starting both
+stands.
+
+In the cotton belt cowpeas have been used successfully, especially
+when seeding on fallow ground. They are seeded broadcast at the rate
+of one-half bushel per acre. There is ordinarily not enough time for
+the cowpeas to mature, but they add to the value of the stand for fall
+pasturage and protect the clover from severe weather in the winter. Both
+cowpeas and buckwheat have the merit of being able to grow on poor soil.
+
+Dwarf Essex rape has been used as a nurse crop in a few cases where the
+clover was to be pastured by hogs or sheep in the fall. From 2 to 3 pounds
+of rape, sown in August, furnishes sufficient cover for a nurse crop.
+Cowhorn turnips, winter kale, and mustard are also satisfactory nurse
+crops if planted at a rate not exceeding 1 pound of seed per acre. If the
+clover is to be saved for seed these latter crops are objectionable, as a
+few plants will live over winter and ripen at the same time as the clover.
+
+Where a nurse crop can not be grown conveniently, the crimson-clover
+seedlings can be protected from the sun by a light top-dressing of straw,
+spread just after the seed is sown.
+
+
+SEED MIXTURES.
+
+Crimson clover is frequently grown in combination with winter grain, hairy
+vetch, or other forage crops having a similar period of growth. The mixed
+crop is less liable to lodge than the single crop, cures more readily in
+damp weather, and usually furnishes a heavier yield. Another advantage of
+the mixed crop is that if either should fail the other will serve as a
+cover crop during the winter and bring some return the following spring.
+Mixed crops are not desirable if the clover is to be saved for seed.
+
+South of central Virginia crimson clover is usually grown in combination
+with winter oats. An early variety of oats, such as the Fulghum, or a late
+variety of clover, such as the white blooming, is usually the best, as
+the oat crop matures somewhat later than the ordinary crimson clover. The
+customary rate of seeding is 15 pounds of the clover and 2½ bushels of
+oats per acre. In Delaware and eastern Maryland the most popular companion
+crop for crimson clover is winter wheat, although barley makes a desirable
+hay crop and is sometimes used. Eye is not desirable for hay, but it
+is probably the best of the grains for green manure, as it is hardy,
+vigorous, and starts growth early in the spring. Rye and wheat are seeded
+at the rate of 1 bushel per acre with the customary quantity of crimson
+clover. The accompanying illustration (fig. 8) shows a field seeded to a
+mixture of crimson clover and wheat. Usually the grain is well headed,
+but in the milk or soft-dough stage, when the clover is ready to cut, the
+yield of the mixed crimson clover and grain is often 25 to 50 per cent
+greater than that of the clover alone.
+
+[Illustration: Fig. 8.--Crimson clover and wheat in mixture. In the
+foreground the crop has been cut and fed green to stock. The remainder
+was cut the next day for hay. The grain prevents the crimson clover from
+lodging.]
+
+Hairy vetch and crimson clover are sometimes grown together, seeding at
+the rate of 20 pounds and 10 pounds per acre, respectively. As both these
+plants are likely to lodge in good soil, however, one of the grains is
+usually included, a common seeding mixture being oats 2 bushels, hairy
+vetch 12 to 15 pounds, and crimson clover 5 pounds. Bur clover, black
+medic, and other winter-growing legumes are sometimes found in mixtures
+with crimson clover, although such mixtures generally occur by accident
+rather than intent. Black medic and crimson clover make' a particularly
+good combination on rich soil.
+
+In most of the crimson-clover area the cultivated grasses, such as
+timothy, redtop, and orchard grass, are not commonly grown. However,
+where these grasses flourish they may well be seeded at the same time
+as the crimson clover, provided the latter is planted not earlier than
+September 15. In some sections Johnson grass and Bermuda grass make useful
+combinations with crimson clover, the grasses making most of their growth
+in the summer and the clover in the fall and spring.
+
+
+
+
+=TREATMENT OF THE STAND.=
+
+
+Ordinarily no special treatment is required after seeding and the clover
+goes into the winter without any further handling. If the growth is so
+rank that there is danger of the plants being too succulent to survive the
+winter, the tops can be reduced by light grazing with small animals, such
+as calves, sheep, or chickens, or by mowing with the cutter bar of the
+mowing machine set high. If the stand is backward, it may be stimulated
+by a light application of nitrate of soda. It is said that a thin stand
+can be thickened by grazing lightly with sheep, as the grazing induces
+heavier stooling. The aim should be to carry the clover into the winter
+with well-hardened leafy stems and with a well-established root system to
+withstand heaving out in the spring.
+
+In fields which are to be saved for seed a wise precaution is to go over
+them early in the spring and chop out the weeds. If wild onion and other
+weeds are chopped off in April, they do not make enough growth by May to
+contaminate the seed crop.
+
+
+
+
+=MALADIES.=
+
+
+The only disease seriously affecting crimson clover is the clover
+stem-rot, root-rot, or wilt, a disease resembling the stem-rot, or wilt,
+of lettuce and other plants. This disease is prevalent in nearly all
+the crimson-clover States and sometimes does considerable damage. The
+stem-rot affects the clover at all seasons, but is more noticeable in the
+spring, when it sometimes causes large spots of clover suddenly to wilt
+and fall. Occasionally an entire field is affected, but the disease is
+most prevalent in low, rich spots. Examination of the plants discloses
+a rotting off or decay of the stems close to the ground, followed
+immediately by the appearance on the stems of small black lumps, or
+sclerotia, about the size of clover seed. These sclerotia are a means of
+spreading the disease and are often harvested in the hay or in the seed
+crop. The only known remedy for the stem-rot is to cease growing clover or
+alfalfa on an infested field for three or four years, substituting cowpeas
+or soy beans. Seed from fields known to be infested should, of course, be
+avoided.
+
+No insects are known to affect crimson clover seriously, nor are weeds
+of great importance in clover planted on clean fields. When planted in
+cultivated crops or in poorly prepared ground crimson clover is often
+seriously damaged by a rank growth of chickweed, knawel (moss weed),
+winter cress, and other winter-growing annuals.
+
+
+WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1920
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+=Transcriber Note=
+
+Minor typos have been corrected. Illustrations were moved to prevent
+splitting paragraphs. Produced from files generously made available by
+USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant materials are placed in
+the Public Domain.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142:
+Growing Crimson Clover, by Leonard Wheeler Kephart
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK USDA FARMERS' BULLETIN NO. 1142 ***
+
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+.hidden   {display: none;}
+
+/* Transcriber's notes */
+.transnotes {background-color: #e6e6fa; color: black; padding:1.5em;
+             margin-bottom:5em;}
+
+/* Footnotes */
+.footnote         {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;}
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+<body>
+
+
+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142: Growing
+Crimson Clover, by Leonard Wheeler Kephart
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
+other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
+whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of
+the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
+www.gutenberg.org.  If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
+to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.
+
+Title: USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142: Growing Crimson Clover
+
+Author: Leonard Wheeler Kephart
+
+Release Date: September 10, 2020 [EBook #63166]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK USDA FARMERS' BULLETIN NO. 1142 ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Tom Cosmas from files generously made available
+by USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant
+materials are placed in the Public Domain.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p>&nbsp;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[ 1 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 629px;">
+<img src="images/cover.png" width="629" height="521" alt="USDA Farmers' Bulletin 1142: Growing Crimson Clover, by L. W. Kephart" />
+</div>
+
+
+<div class="bbox smaller tdc" style="width: 15em; margin: 0 auto;">
+FARMERS' BULLETIN 1142<br />
+UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE<br />
+GROWING<br />
+CRIMSON<br />
+CLOVER</div>
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[ 2 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="bbox" style="width: 30em; padding: 12px; margin: 0 auto;">
+
+<div class="dropcap">C</div>
+
+<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">C</span>rimson clover is a handsome fall-planted
+annual, widely cultivated in the Middle Atlantic
+and Southeastern States for forage, a cover crop,
+and green manure.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is commonly sown in corn at the
+last cultivation. If the soil is heavy, a better practice
+is to sow after a crop of small grain or on other land
+which can be specially prepared.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover will grow on poorer soil than most
+clovers and is not particularly dependent upon lime.
+For this reason it has been widely used for restoring
+the productivity of soils which have been abused. A
+more important function is to maintain crop yields
+on soils which are already moderately rich.</p>
+
+<p>The most common difficulty in growing crimson
+clover is the killing of the young stands by drought.
+This is best prevented by the preparation of a fine,
+moist, and firmly compacted seed bed.</p>
+
+<p>August and September are the best months for
+sowing crimson clover, the exact date depending
+upon the condition of the soil. Either hulled or unhulled
+seed may be used, the latter giving somewhat
+greater certainty of a stand.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is often sown with a nurse crop of
+buckwheat or cowpeas, to protect it from the sun.
+A light covering of straw is also effective.</p>
+
+<p>Combinations of crimson clover with oats, hairy
+vetch, or other fall-sown forage crops give somewhat
+higher yields and a surer stand than crimson clover
+alone.</p>
+
+<p>No insects trouble crimson clover seriously, and
+the only severe disease is the stem-rot, or wilt.</p>
+</div>
+
+<div class="bbox smaller tdc" style="width: 20em; margin: 12px auto; padding: 12px;">
+Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry<br />
+WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief<br />
+Washington, D. C. August, 1920<br />
+</div>
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[ 3 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<h1>GROWING CRIMSON CLOVER.<a name="FNanchor_1" id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h1>
+
+
+<p class="caption3nb pmb2"><span class="smcap">L. W. Kephart</span>,<br />
+<span class="smaller"><i>Scientific Assistant, Office of Forage-Crop Investigations.</i></span></p>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+
+<p><a name="Footnote_1" id="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> This bulletin is a revision of Farmers' Bulletin 550, entitled "Crimson Clover:
+Growing the Crop," by J. M. Westgate, formerly Agronomist in Charge of Clover
+Investigations, Office of Forage-Crop Investigations. The illustrations and some of the
+subject matter of the old bulletin are retained in the present issue.</p></div>
+
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS.</a></h2>
+
+
+<table class="tblcont" summary="ToC">
+<tr>
+  <td></td>
+  <td class="smaller tdr">Page.</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">History and adaptations</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#HISTORY_AND_ADAPTATIONS">4</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Varieties</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#VARIETIES">5</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Use in the rotation</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#USE_IN_THE_ROTATION">6</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Seeding in intertilled crops</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEEDING_IN_INTERTILLED_CROPS">6</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Seeding after an early-maturing crop</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEEDING_AFTER">7</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Requirements for obtaining a stand</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#REQUIREMENTS_FOR_OBTAINING_A_STAND">8</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Soils</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SOILS">9</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Preparation of the seed bed</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#PREPARATION">10</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Fertilizers</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#FERTILIZERS">11</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Lime</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#LIME">12</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Inoculation</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#INOCULATION">13</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Seeding</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEEDING">13</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Time of seeding</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#TIME_OF_SEEDING">13</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Rate of seeding</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#RATE_OF_SEEDING">14</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Methods of seeding</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#METHODS_OF_SEEDING">14</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Choice of seed</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#CHOICE_OF_SEED">16</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Unhulled seed</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#UNHULLED">16</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Use of a nurse crop</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#NURSE_CROP">17</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl2">Seed mixtures</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#SEED_MIXTURES">18</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Treatment of the stand</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#TREATMENT_OF_THE_STAND">20</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+  <td class="tdl">Maladies</td>
+  <td class="tdr"><a href="#MALADIES">20</a></td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+
+<div class="dropcap">C</div>
+
+<p class="p0"><span class="hidden">C</span>rimson clover is an annual or winter annual true clover,
+resembling common red clover in size and general appearance,
+the most noticeable difference being the flower heads, which are long,
+narrow, and pointed instead of short, spherical, and compact (<a href="#fig1">fig. 1</a>).
+The individual flowers of this clover are commonly of a rich scarlet
+color, and as the heads are borne mostly on the ends of the stems,
+a field of crimson clover in full bloom presents a strikingly brilliant
+appearance. Because of the color of the flowers, crimson clover is
+often termed "scarlet clover," although it is also known, less commonly,
+as "French clover," "Italian clover," "German clover," "incarnate
+clover," and "annual clover." It is the only annual true
+clover that is of more than incidental agricultural importance in
+the eastern United States.</p>
+
+<p>Probably the most important characteristic of crimson clover is
+its ability to grow and make its crop during the fall and early spring,
+when the land is not occupied by the ordinary summer-grown crops.
+In sections where it succeeds, it can be sown following a grain crop
+or in an intertilled crop in late summer and is ready to harvest for
+hay, to pasture, or to turn under as green manure in time to plow
+the land for spring-seeded crops, such as corn or cotton. South of
+central Delaware it may even be cut for seed and the stubble plowed
+under in time for seeding a quick-maturing strain of corn. Because
+it can be grown during the offseason of the year, crimson clover
+is one of the most economical legumes for green manuring, and it has
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[ 4 ]</a></span>
+been largely used for that purpose in the regions to which it is
+adapted. The many uses to which this crop may be put merit a careful
+study of the best methods of establishing a stand of this clover on
+the farm.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 461px;"><a id="fig1"></a>
+<img src="images/fig1.png" width="461" height="609" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span>&mdash;A single plant of crimson clover.</div>
+</div>
+
+
+
+<h2><a id="HISTORY_AND_ADAPTATIONS"></a>HISTORY AND ADAPTATIONS.</h2>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is a native of Europe, where it is cultivated as a
+forage and green-manuring crop in Italy, France, Spain, Germany,
+Austria, and Great Britain. Large quantities of crimson-clover seed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[ 5 ]</a></span>
+are exported from Europe to the United States, especially from the
+districts of central France, where crimson clover is the premier leguminous
+forage plant.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover was introduced into this country as early as 1818,
+and the seed was widely distributed by the United States Patent
+Office in 1855. The plant was at first regarded more for its ornamental
+value than as a forage plant, however, and it was not until
+about 1880 that its value for agricultural purposes began to be
+appreciated.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_right" style="width: 310px;"><a id="fig2"></a>
+<img src="images/fig2.png" width="310" height="293" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 2.</span>&mdash;Map of a part of the United States, showing the
+region where crimson clover is most widely grown.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>At present crimson clover is grown most widely in the lighter sandy
+areas of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, where the soil is not very rich
+and the winters are not severe. (<a href="#fig2">Fig. 2.</a>) The plant does not withstand
+either extreme
+cold or extreme heat,
+and its culture is
+therefore limited to
+regions which enjoy
+at some time during
+the year a long period
+of relatively
+mild, moist weather.
+Ordinarily, this
+clover does not survive
+the winter in
+latitudes north of
+southern Pennsylvania,
+while in some
+of the Southern
+States it is frequently
+killed by dry, hot
+weather in the fall
+or spring. It succeeds well in the humid regions near the Gulf of
+Mexico and in the Pacific Northwest, but in these areas it is not
+widely grown.</p>
+
+<p>Normally, crimson clover is a winter annual comparable to winter
+wheat; that is, it is planted in the fall, lies more or less dormant
+over winter, grows rapidly in the spring, and dies, after going to seed,
+early in the summer. Where the summers are not too hot it can be
+planted in the spring and grown as a summer crop, but for this purpose
+other clovers are usually preferred.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="VARIETIES" id="VARIETIES">VARIETIES.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>Crimson clover is exceedingly variable both in color of flower and
+in time of maturity. These variations are particularly noticeable in
+fields planted from a mixed lot of seed, the flowers presenting a
+range in color from nearly pure white to a deep purplish red and the
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[ 6 ]</a></span>
+seeds a difference in date of ripening of more than a month. Since
+crimson clover is thought to be mainly self-pollinated, it is easy to
+fix these qualities by selection and to establish definite varieties.</p>
+
+<p>In Europe six or seven different varieties of crimson clover are
+recognized and sold by seedsmen, varying from extra early crimson
+flowered to, extra late white flowered and from very hardy to non-hardy.
+By the use of a succession of these varieties the European
+farmer is able to spread his harvest over six or seven weeks instead of
+having it concentrated within a few days, as in America. Similarly,
+the culture of the plant has been extended northward from Italy to
+Sweden by means of hardy strains. A wild form of crimson clover
+having yellowish flowers and hairy foliage occurs in southern and
+eastern Europe and in England, but it is not of economic value.</p>
+
+<p>In America no sharply defined varieties of crimson clover are recognized,
+except a white-blooming variety which is sold in the South
+and is two weeks later than the ordinary crimson-flowered sort.
+Hardy strains have been developed and used in a small way in
+Massachusetts and Ohio, but these are not commercially available.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="USE_IN_THE_ROTATION" id="USE_IN_THE_ROTATION">USE IN THE ROTATION.</a></h2>
+
+
+<h3><a id="SEEDING_IN_INTERTILLED_CROPS"></a>SEEDING IN INTERTILLED CROPS.</h3>
+
+<p>In former years a large percentage of the crimson-clover acreage
+was seeded in corn or other intertilled crops at or shortly after the
+time of the last cultivation. In most of the crimson-clover area it
+is possible to make such a seeding, obtain a good growth during the
+fall and early spring, and mow or plow under the clover in time, for
+breaking up the land for another crop of corn. This has been the
+standard method of growing this clover, and it is still the leading
+practice in many of the older sections. Corn in the summer with
+crimson clover in the winter is a cheap and convenient method of
+growing a cash crop and a restorative crop the same year, and the
+reputation of crimson clover as a crop increaser is largely based on
+this simple rotation. Instances are by no means rare where the yield
+of corn has been gradually increased from 10 bushels per acre to as
+high as 70 bushels by this means.</p>
+
+<p>The difficulty with this method is the possibility of the stand of
+young clover failing through drought. The growing corn makes a
+heavy demand on the soil moisture, and if there is not enough moisture
+for both clover and corn the latter gets the larger share and the
+tender clover plants are likely to succumb. Because of the risk
+involved, farmers in the upland sections are seeking other and more
+reliable methods of seeding, and the sowing of crimson clover in
+corn is gradually decreasing.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[ 7 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Where the danger from fall drought is not serious, crimson clover
+may be sown in corn at the time of the last cultivation or when the
+corn leaves have just begun to wither. South of central Virginia
+there is likely to be much hot weather after the corn is laid by, in
+which case it is best to delay the seeding of the clover until after
+the first rain. The appearance of a field of crimson clover seeded in
+corn the previous summer is shown in <a href="#fig3">figure 3</a>.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 462px;"><a id="fig3"></a>
+<img src="images/fig3.png" width="462" height="280" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 3.</span>&mdash;Crimson clover in an old cornfield. The clover was seeded in the corn at the
+last cultivation. A fodder stack is to be observed in the middle foreground. The
+cornstalks have been removed to avoid difficulty in mowing the clover.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>South of southern Virginia crimson clover can be seeded in cotton,
+provided the field is free from crab-grass and other weeds and the
+soil is not too dry. In the extreme north of the cotton belt the seed
+may be sown at the last working of the cotton; farther south this
+occurs too early and it is necessary to wait for a rain, which often
+comes at about the time of the first picking.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover may be seeded in practically any of the cultivated
+truck crops which receive their last cultivation from 8 to 12 weeks
+before the first frost. It is not practicable to seed the clover in late
+potatoes, sweet potatoes, or other root crops, as the digging in the
+fall practically destroys the clover.</p>
+
+<p>Ordinarily, crimson clover does not succeed when sown in cowpeas,
+sorghum, or watermelons, owing to the heavy shade cast by
+these crops. It can, however, be seeded in tobacco, tomatoes, cultivated
+soy beans, and cantaloupes.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="SEEDING_AFTER"></a>SEEDING AFTER AN EARLY-MATURING CROP.</h3>
+
+<p>Seeding crimson clover in an intertilled crop is successful mostly
+on sandy soils, which can easily be prepared for seeding even in mid-summer.
+On clay soils and in weedy fields this method of seeding
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[ 8 ]</a></span>
+is likely to be unsatisfactory. Such soils are usually hard and dry
+in August and can with difficulty be brought into condition for a
+seed bed, with the result that a large percentage of such seedings
+fail. A better plan on clay soils, and on sandy soils in many cases,
+is to seed the crimson clover on specially prepared ground from
+which all other crops have been removed. Such ground can be
+made as fine and firm as desired. Furthermore, the clover after
+planting does not have to compete with another crop for the soil
+moisture. This method is somewhat more troublesome than planting
+in intertilled crops, but the greater certainty of getting a stand
+more than offsets the greater cost. Planting crimson clover on
+specially prepared ground has extended the culture of the plant
+to regions where it was not hitherto grown and is increasing the
+reliability of the crop in sections where it has been long established.</p>
+
+<p>In the ordinary rotation, crimson clover follows a crop of small
+grain. However, it may follow any crop that is removed 8 to 10
+weeks before frost, or it may be seeded on fallow ground. Ground
+from which early potatoes have been removed is especially favorable
+for the establishment of a stand of this clover. The residual
+effect of the fertilizers used on potatoes is partially responsible for
+this, while the well-settled seed bed, which requires only leveling
+and harrowing, also presents favorable conditions for the crimson-clover
+seedlings.</p>
+
+<p>In many parts of the South crimson clover can be seeded in corn
+stubble if an early variety of corn has been used. Although there
+is some risk that the clover may not make enough growth before
+winter if seeding is delayed until the corn is harvested, the danger
+of losing the stand is not as great as if the clover were seeded
+earlier, while the corn was standing.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is sometimes seeded after a grass or clover crop
+if the rainfall in July is sufficient to cause the sod to decay. In
+the far South it can be planted after peanuts, while in all sections
+it can be sown as a catch crop on land where cotton or other crops
+have died early in the season.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="REQUIREMENTS_FOR_OBTAINING_A_STAND" id="REQUIREMENTS_FOR_OBTAINING_A_STAND">REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING A STAND.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>Probably the difficulty most commonly experienced in growing
+crimson clover is failure to obtain a satisfactory stand. Sometimes
+the seed does not germinate well; more commonly good germination
+is secured, but the seedlings wither and die before they can become
+established. Frequently not more than 50 per cent of the plants
+survive the first three weeks, while a complete failure of the crop is
+a common risk even in the sections where crimson clover is most
+widely grown.</p>
+
+<p>The most common cause of failure to obtain a stand is hot, dry
+weather after planting. The seedlings of crimson clover are tender,
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[ 9 ]</a></span>
+succulent, and shallow rooted and are easily killed by lack of moisture.
+Unfortunately, in most of the crimson-clover area the weather
+during late August and early September is very likely to be hot and
+droughty, making the planting of the clover at that time rather
+hazardous. Some farmers attempt to avoid this difficulty by planting
+either in early summer or in October, after the fall rains; there
+is danger, however,
+that the plants will
+make too much or
+too little growth to
+survive the winter.
+In the long run it is
+probably better to
+plant at the regular
+time and depend
+upon thorough preparation
+of the seed
+bed to offset any
+deficiency in the
+rainfall.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="SOILS"></a>SOILS.</h3>
+
+<p>Crimson clover
+can be grown successfully
+on almost any
+type of soil if it is
+reasonably rich, well
+drained, and supplied
+with organic
+matter and the
+proper inoculating
+bacteria. Probably
+two-thirds of the
+crimson-clover acreage
+is found on the
+sandy soils of the
+Atlantic Coastal
+Plain, but the crop
+is not necessarily restricted
+to sandy
+soils and is in fact
+increasing in importance on the red-clay soils of the Piedmont region
+and in the limestone valleys of Virginia and Tennessee.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_right" style="width: 315px;"><a id="fig4"></a>
+<img src="images/fig4.png" width="315" height="557" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 4.</span>&mdash;a crimson-clover failure on ground too poor in
+humus.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>Crimson clover has been an important factor in increasing yields
+on soils that have been abused, but it is not a crop for land which is
+naturally very poor. It does not do well on rough, newly cleared
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[ 10 ]</a></span>
+areas, raw subsoil, Hard, dry clay, or sterile sand. (<a href="#fig4">Fig. 4.</a>) For
+such soils soy beans, cowpeas, and velvet beans are better suited and
+should be used for the first three or four years until crimson clover
+can be successfully grown. Crimson clover can be made to grow
+on poor soils, provided they are specially prepared by liming, manuring,
+and inoculating. In general, however, crimson clover is a crop
+for maintaining soils which are already fairly productive rather
+than one for inducing productivity in soils where it is quite lacking.
+If there is any doubt whether the soil is suitable for crimson clover,
+a small plat should be prepared under field conditions and planted
+one year for trial.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="PREPARATION"></a>PREPARATION OF THE SEED BED.</h3>
+
+<p>To secure a full, even stand of crimson clover with any degree of
+regularity the seed bed should be well and thoroughly prepared.
+The soil should be firm, moist, well settled, and fine on top. Only
+indifferent success can possibly be expected if the seed is scattered on
+land which is loose, dry,
+and full of hard lumps
+and trash. A loose seed
+bed dries out quickly,
+heaves during the winter,
+and on some soils blows
+and washes badly.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_left" style="width: 286px;"><a id="fig5"></a>
+<img src="images/fig5.png" width="286" height="151" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 5.</span>&mdash;A corrugated roller or pulverizer, an excellent
+implement for preparing the seed bed for
+crimson clover.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>On the other hand, the
+seed bed should not be
+too hard, for although
+this clover often grows
+successfully on soil which
+would be too solid for corn, there must be at| least enough loose soil on
+the surface to cover the seed. Thorough preparation is the very best
+insurance against failure of the stand through drought or winterkilling,
+and the most successful growers sow crimson clover on land
+as well prepared as that for wheat.</p>
+
+<p>To secure a fine, firm seed bed without drying out the surface soil,
+the land should be prepared with as few operations as possible. A
+single working when the soil is in a moist, crumbly condition is
+better than half a dozen workings when the soil is too wet or too
+dry. In very sandy soils, or soils which do not form a crust, the
+only preparation needed is to keep down the weeds.</p>
+
+<p>An excellent tool for making the seed bed is the corrugated roller
+or pulverizer (<a href="#fig5">fig. 5</a>). This implement is an improvement over the
+old plain roller for breaking clods and is unexcelled for keeping the
+surface soil moist. It can be used after plowing and again before
+planting, and even after planting if the soil needs to be compacted.
+Rolling of some kind to firm the soil is especially important on sandy
+soils, but it is equally beneficial on clay soils if they are cloddy.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[ 11 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>When clover is seeded in an intertilled crop, such as corn, cotton,
+or tomatoes, the customary cultivation received by these crops is
+ordinarily sufficient preparation for crimson clover. In sandy soil
+the clover is often seeded without any immediate preparation, but a
+light stirring with a harrow-toothed cultivator is desirable if the
+ground is hard. If the clover is to be used for hay or seed, the preceding
+crop should be laid by level rather than in ridges. This will
+facilitate cutting the clover.</p>
+
+<p>Where crimson clover is seeded after a crop of small grain, the
+stubble should be plowed or disked as soon as possible after the
+grain is cut. Stubble land dries out quickly, partly because the soil
+is suddenly left bare and partly because of the drain on the soil
+moisture by the crops of ragweed and other coarse-growing weeds
+which always follow a grain crop. Unless the soil is cultivated at
+once it becomes very difficult to obtain anything like an ideal seed
+bed for crimson clover. This difficulty is usually more pronounced
+after oats and barley than after rye and wheat. Ordinarily the best
+practice is to disk the grain stubble within a week after harvest and
+harrow every week, or at least after every rain, in order to settle the
+ground, destroy the weeds, and assist in holding the moisture pending
+the time of seeding the clover. Plowing the stubble is more expensive
+than disking and requires that the ground be allowed to settle
+for a month or six weeks in order to secure a firm seed bed. Plowing
+is an advantage in a wet season, because plowed ground dries readily;
+it is a disadvantage in a dry season for the same reason.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="FERTILIZERS"></a>FERTILIZERS.</h3>
+
+<p>On moderately rich soil the fertilizer applied to the preceding
+crop is sufficient to produce a good crop of crimson clover. This is
+especially true where the clover follows such crops as potatoes or
+tomatoes, which ordinarily are heavily treated with fertilizers. It is
+important to realize, however, that crimson clover has a very short
+period of growth, and that to make a vigorous growth it must have a
+good supply of plant food. On sandy soils where fertilizers have not
+recently been applied it is often the practice to apply from 150 to 200
+pounds of acid phosphate, with some potash fertilizer if it can be
+afforded. On clay soils 200 or 300 pounds per acre of acid phosphate
+ordinarily are sufficient. On many soils a light application of nitrate
+of soda will assist materially in giving the young clover plants a
+good start and often will enable them to withstand the effects of a
+late drought or severe winter which otherwise might have injured
+the stand. If the seeding has been delayed, as by waiting for suitable
+rains, an application of not more than 75 pounds of nitrate of soda
+per acre will stimulate the young plants and enable them to make a
+better growth before winter.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[ 12 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Fertilizer is usually applied at seeding time, but a few farmers have
+been found who apply it as a top-dressing very early the following
+summer, giving as a reason that there is then no loss from winter
+leaching and that by this method the plants are nourished at the
+time they are making their most vigorous growth. Such top-dressings
+of fertilizer should not be made while the leaves are wet with rain
+or dew. Where stable manure is applied to crimson clover very
+marked results follow. It may be spread just before seeding when
+the clover is not grown in an intertilled crop, or it may be applied as
+a top-dressing in winter or very early spring.</p>
+
+<p>The more vigorous the growth that can be induced by the application
+of suitable fertilizers the more marked will be the increase in
+the yield of the succeeding crops. On soil in a low state of productivity
+the use of a reasonable amount of fertilizer will often enable
+a successful crop of clover and succeeding crops to be produced, where
+had not the fertilizers been applied the clover would have failed.
+Furthermore, the following crop, particularly if it be corn, would
+also fail to give the increased yield which follows a successful stand
+of crimson clover.</p>
+
+<p>An application of barnyard manure will be found to be especially
+effective in obtaining a stand of crimson clover on any thin, galled
+spots in the field. The manure should be worked into the ground
+before seeding, and, if possible, a second application as a top-dressing
+should be given a day or two after planting. The top-dressing
+stimulates the seedlings and if strawy helps to protect them from the
+August sun.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="LIME"></a>LIME.</h3>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is not as dependent on lime as red clover and
+alfalfa, being more like alsike clover in this respect. It does not
+thrive on soils which are very "sour," but on well-drained soils in
+a productive condition crimson clover frequently makes a vigorous
+growth, even though the soil may show a high lime requirement.
+The stands are usually more uniformly good over the limed parts
+of such fields than on the unlimed parts, although it is sometimes
+questionable whether the benefit derived from liming is profitable.
+Liming is more often desirable on clay soils than on sandy soils,
+and usually gives better results when used in conjunction with fertilizers
+than when used alone. On light sandy soils deficient in humus
+burnt lime may be actually injurious. In considering the advisability
+of applying lime one must not lose sight of the need of lime on the
+part of such other crops as corn, cantaloupes, or peaches, which
+are either grown with or follow the clover. Inasmuch as the effect
+of liming varies greatly in different localities, it is suggested that
+small plats be treated experimentally at different rates before any
+considerable areas are limed.</p>
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[ 13 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="INOCULATION"></a>INOCULATION.</h3>
+
+<p>A large part of the value of all clovers lies in their ability to
+utilize the nitrogen of the air and add it to the soil. When
+grown on rich land, the clovers, like many other plants, use the
+nitrogen already present in the soil and are not stimulated to contribute
+any to their own support or to the support of other crops.
+To enable the clover to use the nitrogen in the air the presence of
+the proper nodule-forming bacteria in the soil is necessary.</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately, most of the soils in the crimson-clover sections appear
+to be already inoculated, and artificial inoculation is not often
+necessary, except on soils new to the crop. Crimson clover is inoculated
+by the same strain of bacteria which occurs on the roots of
+the other true clovers; consequently, a field which has produced a
+good stand of red, mammoth, alsike, white, hop, Carolina, rabbit's-foot,
+or buffalo clover is usually inoculated sufficiently for crimson
+clover. Sweet clover, Japan clover, and bur clover are not true
+clovers and are inoculated by a different strain of bacteria.</p>
+
+<p>The importance of inoculation is well shown by an experiment
+conducted by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. In
+this experiment yields of 4,057 and 6,100 pounds of crimson-clover
+hay were secured on inoculated soils, while on corresponding areas
+which were not inoculated the yields were 761 pounds on one area
+and nothing on the other.</p>
+
+<p>The soil can be inoculated artificially by means of pure cultures
+of the bacteria or by the transfer of a small quantity of soil from
+another clover field.<a name="FNanchor_2" id="FNanchor_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> The latter method is the more certain, but is
+open to the danger of introducing noxious weeds, insects, and plant
+diseases, especially if the soil is brought from a distance. The
+presence of stem-rot in many sections makes the use of soil especially
+dangerous. This disease can, be carried with the soil from field to
+field.</p>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+
+<p><a name="Footnote_2" id="Footnote_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Sufficient pure culture for inoculating seed for 1 acre can be secured free from the
+United States Department of Agriculture. Full directions for using the culture accompany
+each bottle. Directions for inoculating by the soil-transfer method can also be
+obtained from this Department.</p></div>
+
+
+
+
+<h2><a name="SEEDING" id="SEEDING">SEEDING.</a></h2>
+
+
+<h3><a id="TIME_OF_SEEDING"></a>TIME OF SEEDING.</h3>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is usually sown between August 15 and October 1,
+the general rule being to plant about 60 days before the first killing
+frost is expected. South of Virginia crimson clover can be seeded as
+late as November 1, although if planted late more seed should be
+used and a light dressing of nitrate of soda applied, in order to
+stimulate the young plants. Seeding earlier than August 1 is seldom
+advisable unless the crop is sown with some other crop the shade of
+which will hold it back.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[ 14 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The exact date of planting depends almost entirely upon the moisture
+content of the soil. The principal condition to avoid is planting
+when the soil contains just enough moisture to germinate the seeds,
+but not enough to keep the plants growing. Usually it is better to
+plant when the soil is quite dry than when it is slightly moist, for in
+dry soil the seeds, if properly buried, lie without germinating and
+are ready to grow vigorously at the first rainfall. The most favorable
+time for seeding is just before or just after a good rain, when the
+soil is moist enough to form a ball in the hand.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="RATE_OF_SEEDING"></a>RATE OF SEEDING.</h3>
+
+<p>The ordinary rate of seeding crimson clover is 15 pounds per acre,
+although the rate varies according to conditions. From 12 to 15
+pounds per acre are usually sufficient when growing the crop for seed
+or when the soil is unusually rich. On poor soil, dry soil, or on soil
+which has not previously produced crimson clover 18 to 22 pounds
+of seed give better assurance of a stand. Heavy seeding is also desirable
+when planting late in the season or when a heavy crop is
+wanted for green manure early in the spring.</p>
+
+<p>Theoretically, 2 pounds of seed per acre would provide six plants
+for every square foot, which is a satisfactory stand. Under ordinary
+circumstances, however, it is necessary to allow for some of the seed
+being too deep, or too shallow, or failing to germinate, and for a
+certain percentage of winterkilling. It is also well to have a fairly
+thick stand of the young plants, so that the ground may be well
+covered during the early fall and thus prevent soil washing and the
+growth of winter weeds.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="METHODS_OF_SEEDING"></a>METHODS OF SEEDING.</h3>
+
+<p>The most common method of seeding crimson clover in intertilled
+crops is to scatter the seed broadcast with a rotary seeder or by hand.
+(<a href="#fig6">Fig. 6.</a>) In order to place the seed on a fresh, moist seed bed it is
+commonly broadcasted immediately behind the cultivator at the last
+cultivation and is covered 'at once by a second cultivator. In tall
+corn the seed may be sown from horseback, the ears of the horse being
+covered with small bags to prevent the entrance of the flying seed.
+Slightly more seed is required when seeding in tall corn, as some seed
+catches in the corn plants. When seeding in cotton care must be taken
+to avoid injury to the opening bolls, which are easily knocked off or
+torn. This is best done by seeding by hand, covering the seed with a
+piece of brush dragged down the rows.</p>
+
+<p>In low-growing truck crops and on fallow ground crimson clover
+can be seeded with a wheelbarrow seeder. This implement distributes
+the seed more evenly than can be done by hand or with the rotary
+seeder, especially when planting a mixture of crops. The wheelbarrow
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[ 15 ]</a></span>
+seeder being somewhat awkward to handle is better adapted
+to smooth, level fields than to hillsides.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 465px;"><a id="fig6"></a>
+<img src="images/fig6.png" width="465" height="275" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 6.</span>&mdash;Seeding crimson clover in corn at the last cultivation.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>Probably the very best method of seeding crimson clover is with
+the special clover or alfalfa drill. Where enough clover is grown
+to warrant its use this implement is to be highly recommended. The
+seed is sown in 4-inch rows at just the proper depth and with the
+right pressure, and the fertilizer is placed exactly under each row,
+where it will be immediately available to the seedlings. Drilled
+clover requires less seed than broadcasted clover and produces a more
+even and certain stand.</p>
+
+<p>In place of the special clover drill an ordinary grain drill equipped
+with a clover-seed attachment can be used with good results. Special
+spouts should be arranged to lead from the clover-seed box back of
+the shoes or disks, in order to deposit the seed directly in the furrow.
+Chain furrow closers are best for covering the seed, as they leave
+the furrows broad and flat instead of <b>V</b> shaped and lessen the danger
+of the seedlings being covered with soil during a hard rain.</p>
+
+<p>For use in intertilled crops there are several types of 1-row drills,
+the best for this purpose being the 5-hoe drill equipped with press
+wheels.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson-clover seed must be covered, but not too deeply. In most
+soils it is not enough to depend on rain to effect a covering. An inch
+in sandy soils and half an inch in clay soils appear to be about the
+right depth. Shallow planting gives the best results in wet seasons
+and deep planting in time of drought. Broadcasted seed should be
+covered with a spike-tooth harrow or a weeder rather than a heavy
+harrow or a shovel cultivator. A harrow made of fairly stiff brush
+is often useful in loose soil.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[ 16 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="CHOICE_OF_SEED"></a>CHOICE OF SEED.</h3>
+
+<p>As a rule, fresh crimson-clover seed is of good viability, and failure
+to secure a stand is not often caused by failure of the seed to
+grow. Unlike most clovers, crimson-clover seed absorbs water readily
+and sprouts quickly. There are practically none of the hard
+seeds which are so frequent in red clover and sweet clover, and a
+germination of 90 per cent in 48 hour's is not uncommon. The seed
+deteriorates rapidly, however, and when more than 2 years old rarely
+shows a germination in excess of 50 per cent. Sometimes, when
+stocks of commercial seed are low, old seed finds its way to the market,
+and this, when planted, gives poor results. Old seed can usually be
+detected by the dull-brown appearance of the seed coat as contrasted
+with the bright, shiny, pinkish or greenish yellow color of fresh seed.
+Brown seed, however, is sometimes caused by weathering during harvest,
+and such seed is not objectionable unless the weathering has
+been excessive.</p>
+
+<p>A common impurity in crimson-clover seed is green, shrunken, and
+immature seed, caused by harvesting the crop before it is ripe. Crimson-clover
+seed does not germinate readily until it takes on a yellowish
+tinge; therefore, green seed should be rejected.</p>
+
+<p>Crimson-clover seed is larger and plumper than red-clover seed
+and if properly cleaned should not contain seeds of dodder or the
+smaller seeded weeds. Frequently, however, it does contain the seeds
+of field peppergrass, yellow trefoil, evening primrose, sheep sorrel,
+wild geranium, buttercups, mustards, and other weeds which blossom
+in early summer.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="UNHULLED"></a>UNHULLED SEED.</h3>
+
+<p>There is a growing belief among farmers that they are less likely
+to lose a stand of crimson clover through drought if they sow the seed
+in the hull rather than use the hulled seed as it ordinarily appears on
+the market. It is claimed that the hulls hold the moisture to some
+extent and carry the seedlings over the critical day or two following
+germination, while some farmers assert that the unhulled seeds require
+more moisture for germination, and the seeds therefore do not sprout
+until there is enough moisture in the soil to keep the plants growing.
+Unhulled seed is bulky and is not often handled by commercial seedsmen,
+although one large grower sells the unhulled seed in compressed,
+bales similar to small cotton bales. It usually can be secured from
+neighboring farmers, however, or is easily saved at home. The seed
+can be harvested with a stripper from the standing crop in the field
+or the mature crop can be cut and thrashed like an ordinary grain
+crop. For local planting on a small scale unhulled seed is the
+cheapest and most accessible form of crimson-clover seed.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[ 17 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Unhulled seed is somewhat difficult to sow, because the hairy hulls
+stick together in masses and can not be scattered uniformly. To
+avoid this trouble the seed may be mixed with moistened earth or
+with lime, or may be sown with a blower similar to those used on
+small forges. A better plan is to sow on a windy day, throwing the
+seed vertically into the air and allowing the wind to scatter it.</p>
+
+<p>Of unhulled seed of the best quality, 100 pounds contains about 1
+bushel (60 pounds) of clean seed. The common grades, however, are
+usually more chaffy and require 120 to 180 pounds to make a bushel.
+From 2 to 3 pounds of unhulled seed are therefore regarded as equivalent
+to 1 pound of hulled seed. A bushel of unhulled seed, even when
+well packed down, weighs only 6 to 10 pounds and contains about 4
+pounds of seed. The appearance of both hulled and unhulled crimson-clover
+seed is shown in <a href="#fig7">figure 7</a>.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_center" style="width: 461px;"><a id="fig7"></a>
+<img src="images/fig7.png" width="461" height="329" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 7.</span>&mdash;Hulled seed of crimson clover of a common commercial grade and unhulled
+seed gathered with a homemade stripper. (Natural size.)</div>
+</div>
+
+
+<h3><a id="NURSE_CROP"></a>USE OF A NURSE CROP.</h3>
+
+<p>In order to protect the crimson-clover seedlings from the hot sun
+of late August it is a common practice in some sections to plant with
+the clover a small quantity of some quick-growing crop like buckwheat,
+cowpeas, rape, or turnips. A thin stand of these heavier
+leaved plants furnishes an ideal shade for the young clover, and on
+soils which are inclined to bake it prevents the formation of a crust.
+The nurse crop must be seeded lightly, usually not more than half
+the regular rate, as the ordinary stand shades the ground so
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[ 18 ]</a></span>
+completely as to destroy the crimson clover. On hot clay soil in the Piedmont
+region the chances of obtaining a stand of clover are about
+twice as good with a nurse crop as without one.</p>
+
+<p>Buckwheat is the principal nurse crop northward from Washington,
+D. C. A common rate of seeding is 2 to 3 pecks of buckwheat in
+15 pounds of crimson clover. If the planting can be made in July
+the buckwheat usually has time to ripen before frost and thus pay
+the cost of starting both stands.</p>
+
+<p>In the cotton belt cowpeas have been used successfully, especially
+when seeding on fallow ground. They are seeded broadcast at the
+rate of one-half bushel per acre. There is ordinarily not enough time
+for the cowpeas to mature, but they add to the value of the stand for
+fall pasturage and protect the clover from severe weather in the winter.
+Both cowpeas and buckwheat have the merit of being able to
+grow on poor soil.</p>
+
+<p>Dwarf Essex rape has been used as a nurse crop in a few cases
+where the clover was to be pastured by hogs or sheep in the fall.
+From 2 to 3 pounds of rape, sown in August, furnishes sufficient
+cover for a nurse crop. Cowhorn turnips, winter kale, and mustard
+are also satisfactory nurse crops if planted at a rate not exceeding
+1 pound of seed per acre. If the clover is to be saved for seed these
+latter crops are objectionable, as a few plants will live over winter
+and ripen at the same time as the clover.</p>
+
+<p>Where a nurse crop can not be grown conveniently, the crimson-clover
+seedlings can be protected from the sun by a light top-dressing
+of straw, spread just after the seed is sown.</p>
+
+
+<h3><a id="SEED_MIXTURES"></a>SEED MIXTURES.</h3>
+
+<p>Crimson clover is frequently grown in combination with winter
+grain, hairy vetch, or other forage crops having a similar period of
+growth. The mixed crop is less liable to lodge than the single crop,
+cures more readily in damp weather, and usually furnishes a heavier
+yield. Another advantage of the mixed crop is that if either should
+fail the other will serve as a cover crop during the winter and bring
+some return the following spring. Mixed crops are not desirable
+if the clover is to be saved for seed.</p>
+
+<p>South of central Virginia crimson clover is usually grown in combination
+with winter oats. An early variety of oats, such as the
+Fulghum, or a late variety of clover, such as the white blooming, is
+usually the best, as the oat crop matures somewhat later than the ordinary
+crimson clover. The customary rate of seeding is 15 pounds
+of the clover and 2&frac12; bushels of oats per acre. In Delaware and
+eastern Maryland the most popular companion crop for crimson
+clover is winter wheat, although barley makes a desirable hay crop
+and is sometimes used. Eye is not desirable for hay, but it is
+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[ 19 ]</a></span>
+probably the best of the grains for green manure, as it is hardy, vigorous,
+and starts growth early in the spring. Rye and wheat are seeded at
+the rate of 1 bushel per acre with the customary quantity of crimson
+clover. The accompanying illustration (<a href="#fig8">fig. 8</a>) shows a field seeded
+to a mixture of crimson clover and wheat. Usually the grain is
+well headed, but in the milk or soft-dough stage, when the clover is
+ready to cut, the yield of the mixed crimson clover and grain
+is often 25 to 50 per
+cent greater than
+that of the clover
+alone.</p>
+
+<div class="fig_right" style="width: 315px;"><a id="fig8"></a>
+<img src="images/fig8.png" width="315" height="420" alt="" />
+<div class="fig_caption"><span class="smcap">Fig. 8.</span>&mdash;Crimson clover and wheat in mixture. In the
+foreground the crop has been cut and fed green to stock.
+The remainder was cut the next day for hay. The grain
+prevents the crimson clover from lodging.</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>Hairy vetch and
+crimson clover are
+sometimes grown together,
+seeding at the
+rate of 20 pounds
+and 10 pounds per
+acre, respectively.
+As both these plants
+are likely to lodge in
+good soil, however,
+one of the grains is
+usually included, a
+common seeding
+mixture being oats 2
+bushels, hairy vetch
+12 to 15 pounds, and
+crimson clover 5
+pounds. Bur clover,
+black medic, and
+other winter-growing
+legumes are
+sometimes found in
+mixtures with crimson
+clover, although such mixtures generally occur by accident rather
+than intent. Black medic and crimson clover make' a particularly
+good combination on rich soil.</p>
+
+<p>In most of the crimson-clover area the cultivated grasses, such as
+timothy, redtop, and orchard grass, are not commonly grown. However,
+where these grasses flourish they may well be seeded at the
+same time as the crimson clover, provided the latter is planted not
+earlier than September 15. In some sections Johnson grass and
+Bermuda grass make useful combinations with crimson clover, the
+grasses making most of their growth in the summer and the clover
+in the fall and spring.</p>
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[ 20 ]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+
+<h2><a name="TREATMENT_OF_THE_STAND" id="TREATMENT_OF_THE_STAND">TREATMENT OF THE STAND.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>Ordinarily no special treatment is required after seeding and the
+clover goes into the winter without any further handling. If the
+growth is so rank that there is danger of the plants being too succulent
+to survive the winter, the tops can be reduced by light grazing
+with small animals, such as calves, sheep, or chickens, or by mowing
+with the cutter bar of the mowing machine set high. If the stand is
+backward, it may be stimulated by a light application of nitrate of
+soda. It is said that a thin stand can be thickened by grazing lightly
+with sheep, as the grazing induces heavier stooling. The aim should
+be to carry the clover into the winter with well-hardened leafy stems
+and with a well-established root system to withstand heaving out in
+the spring.</p>
+
+<p>In fields which are to be saved for seed a wise precaution is to go
+over them early in the spring and chop out the weeds. If wild onion
+and other weeds are chopped off in April, they do not make enough
+growth by May to contaminate the seed crop.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="MALADIES" id="MALADIES">MALADIES.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>The only disease seriously affecting crimson clover is the clover
+stem-rot, root-rot, or wilt, a disease resembling the stem-rot, or wilt,
+of lettuce and other plants. This disease is prevalent in nearly all
+the crimson-clover States and sometimes does considerable damage.
+The stem-rot affects the clover at all seasons, but is more noticeable
+in the spring, when it sometimes causes large spots of clover suddenly
+to wilt and fall. Occasionally an entire field is affected, but
+the disease is most prevalent in low, rich spots. Examination of the
+plants discloses a rotting off or decay of the stems close to the ground,
+followed immediately by the appearance on the stems of small black
+lumps, or sclerotia, about the size of clover seed. These sclerotia are
+a means of spreading the disease and are often harvested in the hay
+or in the seed crop. The only known remedy for the stem-rot is to
+cease growing clover or alfalfa on an infested field for three or four
+years, substituting cowpeas or soy beans. Seed from fields known to
+be infested should, of course, be avoided.</p>
+
+<p>No insects are known to affect crimson clover seriously, nor are
+weeds of great importance in clover planted on clean fields. When
+planted in cultivated crops or in poorly prepared ground crimson
+clover is often seriously damaged by a rank growth of chickweed,
+knawel (moss weed), winter cress, and other winter-growing annuals.</p>
+
+
+<p class="tdr">WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1920</p>
+
+
+<hr class="full" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[ 21 ]</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="transnotes">
+
+<p>Transcriber Note</p>
+
+<p>Minor typos have been corrected. Illustrations were moved to prevent
+splitting paragraphs. Produced from files generously made available
+by USDA through The Internet Archive. All resultant materials are placed
+in the Public Domain.</p>
+
+</div>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 1142:
+Growing Crimson Clover, by Leonard Wheeler Kephart
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK USDA FARMERS' BULLETIN NO. 1142 ***
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+</body>
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