SWEET CLOVER: GROWING THE CROP

H. S. COE

Assistant, Office of Forage Crop Investigations

FARMERS' BULLETIN 797

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry

WM. A. TAYLOR, chief

Washington, D. C.

April, 1917

THE cultivation of sweet clover should be preceded by a through knowledge of the requirements for obtaining a stand.

The white species comprises a very large percentage of the present acreage of sweet clover.

Annual yellow sweet clover should be sown in no portion of the United States except the South and Southwest, and then only as a cover of green-manure crop.

Sweet clover is being cultivated in practically every State in the Union. At the present time the largest acreage is found in The western North-Central States and in the Mountain States.

Sweet clover is adapted to a wider range of climatic conditions than any of the true clovers, and possibly alfalfa.

Sweet clover will grow on practically all soil types to be found in this country, provided the soil is not acid and is well inoculated.

Sweet clover is more drought resistant than alfalfa or red clover. It is quite resistant to alkali.

The lime requirement of sweet clover is as high as that of red clover or alfalfa. Maximum growth is obtained only on soils that are not acid.

Sweet clover usually will respond to applications of fertilizers and manure.

In the move humid sections of the country good stands usually are obtained by seeding with a nurse crop.

Only seed which germinates 75 per cent or more should be sown in the spring of the year unless the rate of seeding is increased to make up for poor germination.

Sweet clover does best when seeded on a well-firmed seed bed which has only sufficient loose soil on the surface to cover the seed.

It is very essential that inoculation be provided in some form if success is to be expected.

The large number of failures in obtaining a stand of sweet clover are due primarily to acid soils, lack of inoculation, and seed which germinates poorly.

Spring seedings in general are satisfactory, but in the South excellent stands are obtained from midwinter seedings also Fall seedings are usually successful south of the latitude of southern Ohio.

A Farmers' Bulletin (No. 820) on the utilization of sweet clover for pasture, hay, and as a green-manure is about to be issued.

SWEET CLOVER: GROWING THE CROP.

CONTENTS.