,transcriber ,note ,emphasis is denoted as ,italics and ,bold4 ,,crimson ,,clover ,,leaflet ,no4 #afj ,u4,s4,,department of ,,agriculture ,issued ,june #aich4 ,,crimson ,,clover ,by ,e4 ,a4 ,hollowell1 senior agronomist1 ,division of ,forage ,crops and ,diseases1 ,bureau of ,plant ,industry ,growth and ,distribution ,crimson clover 7,trifolium incarnatum7 is the most important winter annual legume of the central section of the ,eastern ,states 7fig4 #a74 ,besides being an excellent hay plant and furnishing an abundance of early spring pasture1 it affords protection to the soil during the fall1 winter1 and spring1 prevents soil washing1 and provides green manure for soil improvement4 ,this legume has the distinct advantage of being a heavy producer of seed1 which can be easily harvested and sown without the use of expensive machinery4 ,illustration3 ,figure #a4--,principal crimson clover region of the ,united ,states4 ,crimson clover is a native of ,europe and is widely grown in ,france1 ,hungary1 and other central and southern ,european countries4 ,seed was introduced into this country as early as #ahai1 but it was not until #ahhj that the plant became of agricultural importance4 ,during the last #f years the annual commercial consumption of seed in the ,united ,states has ranged from #b to #d million pounds4 ,in addition1 large quantities of home-grown seed are used and handled from farm to farm4 ,the common name of this clover is derived from the distinctive bright crimson color of the blossoms4 ,other common names1 such as ,german clover and scarlet clover1 are frequently heard in different localities4 ,in general the leaves and stems of crimson clover resemble red clover1 but are distinguished by the rounding of the tips of the leaves and a greater covering of hair on both leaves and steins4 ,when it is planted in the fall the leaves develop from the crown and form a rosette1 which enlarges whenever weather conditions are favorable4 ,in late spring flower stems develop rapidly and terminate their growth with elongated flower heads4 ,seed forms and the plant dies with the advent of hot summer weather4 ,the seed is yellow1 slightly larger1 and more rounding than red clover seed4 ,adaptation ,crimson clover is adapted to cool1 humid weather and is tolerant of winter conditions where the temperature does not become severe or too variable4 ,in this region 7fig4 #a7 it should be planted in late summer or early fall1 since early establishment and growth are favorable to its winter survival4 ,it will thrive on both sandy and clay soils and is tolerant of ordinary soil acidity4 ,on extremely poor soils1 stands are difficult to obtain and the growth is stunted4 ,the use of manure and phosphate fertilizers on such soils will improve the chances of obtaining good stands4 ,crimson clover may also be successfully grown as a summer annual in ,maine1 northern ,michigan1 and ,minnesota4 ,the winter culture of this clover may be extended into ,kentucky1 southern ,missouri1 and southern ,indiana provided the seed is sown in fertile soil early in ,august4 ,production may be successfully extended southward with an increase of soil fertility and with seeding delayed until soil-moisture conditions are favorable4 ,seedbed ,preparation ,the most important and difficult phase of successful production of crimson clover is getting a stand4 ,sufficient soil moisture to germinate the seed and to establish the seedlings is the greatest factor in obtaining a stand1 which when established usually produces a good crop4 ,seedings are usually made in late ,august or early ,september between the rows of cultivated crops4 ,under such conditions an ideal seedbed is difficult to prepare1 therefore careful preparation is necessary4 ,furthermore1 the crop plants in the row shade the clover seedlings and seriously compete with them for the available moisture4 ,increasing the distance between the rows and planting the row crop more thinly will afford better opportunity for the establishment of the clover4 ,when planted between the rows of other crops1 the seed is usually broadcast on the surface and covered by cultivating or harrowing 7fig4 #b74 ,drilling the seed after the soil surface has been stirred will usually give more complete stands than broadcasting1 and it may be done with a small one-horse drill4 ,the seed should not be planted more than one-half to three-fourths of an inch deep1 respectively1 in clay and sandy soils4 ,illustration3 ,figure #b4--,seeding crimson clover in corn4 ,crimson clover is often seeded following a grain crop1 and this is a surer method of establishing a stand than planting between the rows of cultivated crops1 providing the seedbed is well prepared4 ,after the grain crop is removed the soil is plowed or disked and allowed to settle4 ,this is followed by light harrowing or disking when necessary to kill weed seedlings4 ,before the clover is seeded the soil should be firmly packed1 because a loose cloddy seedbed is the forerunner of failure4 ,the seed may be either drilled or broadcast1 but drilling will give more uniform stands4 ,fertilizers ,when the crop is planted on extremely poor soils1 good stands and growth cannot be expected4 ,such soil conditions may be improved by the application of manure and phosphate fertilizers or by turning under such crops as cowpeas1 soybeans1 or lespedeza4 ,in many soils of low fertility the use of #ej to #ajj pounds per acre of a nitrogen fertilizer will encourage early seedling growth and establishment4 ,on the fertile soils of this region crimson clover may be successfully grown without fertilizer1 but on most soils applications of #bjj pounds of phosphate fertilizer per acre are profitable in obtaining stands and vigorous growth 7fig4 #c74 ,the use of potash is recommended when a deficiency is known to exist4 ,illustration3 ,figure #c4--;,effect of phosphate application on good soil3 ,treated 7left72 untreated 7right74 ,seed ,sources ,of the total amount of seed normally used approximately #fj percent is of foreign origin1 coming principally from ,hungary and ,france4 ,most of the domestic crimson clover seed offered on the market is produced in south-central ,tennessee4 ,while white-flowered strains and others differing in maturity have been isolated1 they are little used4 ,claims have been made that locally grown seed is superior to seed from other sources including that of foreign origin4 ,further experiments are needed to determine whether such differences actually exist4 ,rate and ,time of ,seeding ,under ordinary conditions #ae to #ah pounds of hulled seed will give good stands unless there is a deficiency of soil moisture4 ,depending upon the amount of foreign material #de to #fj pounds of unhulled seed is comparable to a #ae-pound seeding rate of hulled seed4 ,crimson clover may be sown from the middle of ,august until ,october #a with the expectation of securing a good stand4 ,the later it is seeded the less growth can be expected and the more readily winterkilling occurs4 ,the early establishment of the plants becomes more important as plantings are extended northward4 ,seeding crimson clover1 if possible1 either immediately before or following heavy rains will increase its chances of making a stand4 ,the spring planting of crimson clover in or south of the ,corn ,belt usually results in a short1 stunted growth followed by meager blossoming and an unprofitable yield4 ,inoculation ,in many parts of the crimson clover region it is not necessary to inoculate the seed2 but if clover has not been successfully grown on a soil1 inoculation of the seed is good insurance4 ,if the plants are not inoculated they will develop slowly1 become yellow1 and die4 ,inoculated plants are able to obtain about two-thirds of their nitrogen from the air through their root nodules4 ,the plants may be artificially inoculated by applying pure cultures of the bacteria to the seed or by scattering soil from a field where inoculated crimson clover has been grown4 ,two hundred to three hundred pounds per acre of such soil evenly distributed at seeding time is sufficient4 ,unhulled ,seed ,the use of unhulled seed offers the distinct advantage of increasing the chance of obtaining thick stands4 ,with the prevalence of dry soil conditions1 light rainfall does not cause the unhulled seed to germinate1 but hulled seed germinates readily and the seedlings may die from lack of moisture before they can become established4 ,its bulky nature makes unhulled seed more difficult to distribute uniformly than hulled seed4 ,it must be broadcast and may be harrowed in4 ,it is also difficult to market and is not generally handled by the seed trade4 ,but farmers can harvest seed for their own use and save the expense of having it hulled4 ,companion ,crops ,rye1 vetch1 ,italian ryegrass1 and fall-sown grain crops are often seeded with crimson clover4 ,besides making a valuable addition to the clover 7fig4 #d71 these companion crops help bolster up a thin stand4 ,such crops are seeded from one-half to one-third the normal crop rate and the crimson clover is seeded at the normal rate4 ,planting is done at the same time1 but1 as a greater depth is required for most of the seed of the companion crops1 two seeding operations are necessary4 ,in ,tennessee1 farmers often use a mixture of #e pounds of red clover and #aj pounds of crimson clover per acre with excellent results4 ,the first growth of the mixture may be grazed or harvested for hay or for crimson clover seed1 while the second crop is wholly red clover4 ,illustration3 ,figure #d4--;,crimson clover and rye1 an excellent green-manure combination4 ,diseases and ,insects ,the only serious disease that affects crimson clover is stem rot4 ,the effect of this disease is seen in the early spring and is characterized by the plants dying in patches4 ,the stems rot at the surface of the soil or where they join the crown4 ,the occurrence of continued damp cool weather during early spring favors the development of the disease4 ,exclusion of clover and other legumes from the rotation for a period of #b to #e years is the best control method4 ,sandy soils in the southern part of the crimson clover belt are often infested with nematodes4 ,nematode injury results in a stunting and yellowing of the plants and is most prevalent in the southern part of the region4 ,while the clover-seed chalcid1 the pea aphid1 and other insects sometimes become numerous in crimson clover1 insects do not ordinarily cause appreciable damage4 ,utilization ,crimson clover grows rapidly in early spring and furnishes an abundance of early grazing 7fig4 #e74 ,if planted early and an abundant fall growth is made1 the clover may also be grazed during the fall and winter months4 ,such a practice has been successfully followed in ,tennessee1 where crimson clover has provided the winter pasturage4 ,the grazing1 however1 should be restricted to periods when the soil is relatively dry1 otherwise damage may result from trampling4 ,animals grazing on crimson clover seldom bloat2 however1 it is advisable not to turn them into clover fields for the first time when they are hungry4 ,bloat is less likely to occur when a mixture of clover and grass or grain is grazed than when the clover alone is grazed4 ,as crimson clover reaches maturity the hairs of the heads and stems become hard and tough4 ,when grazed continuously or when fed as hay at this stage of maturity large masses of the hairs are liable to form into hair balls in stomachs of horses and mules4 ,occasionally the hair balls are responsible for the death of animals4 ,if small amounts of other feeds1 particularly roughages1 are fed along with the clover1 the formation of these balls will be reduced4 ,cattle1 sheep1 and swine do not seem to be affected4 ,illustration3 ,figure #e4--;,crimson clover provides an abundance of early spring grazing4 ,crimson clover makes excellent hay when cut at the early bloom stage although the yield may be slightly reduced4 ,for maximum yields it should be harvested in full bloom4 ,the hay is easily cured either in the swath or in the windrow4 ,fewer leaves are lost and less bleaching occurs in windrowed hay4 ,although yields as high as #b tons per acre are not uncommon on fertile soil1 #a to #b tons is an ordinary production4 ,crimson clover is an ideal green-manure crop4 ,for the best result it should be plowed under #b to #c weeks before planting the succeeding crop4 ,this gives sufficient time for decomposition1 which is rapid unless the crop is mature when plowed under4 ,occasionally1 strips are plowed in which row crops are planted1 allowing the clover between the plowed strips to mature4 ,seed may be harvested by hand from the clover between the row crop1 and the remaining clover straw allowed to mat and serve as a mulch1 or the entire plant may be permitted to form a mulch4 ,a volunteer seeding may be secured in this way1 especially in the northern part of this region1 but attempts to follow such a practice should be tried on a small scale until experience is gained4 ,when used in orchards1 crimson clover is often allowed to mature1 after which it is disked into the soil4 ,occasionally a volunteer seeding may be obtained in the fall4 ,seed ,production ,crimson clover is a prolific seed-producing plant and yields of #e to #aj bushels per acre are common1 depending upon the thickness of the stand1 the amount of growth that is produced1 and the care exercised in harvesting the seed4 ,the florets are self-fertile1 but bees are effective in tripping and transferring the pollen1 with a consequent increase in the number of seed per head4 ,the placing of colonies of honeybees adjacent to blooming fields will effectively increase pollination4 ,more seed is usually produced on soils of medium fertility than on rich soils1 since fertile soils seem to stimulate the growth of stems and leaves at the expense of flower-head development4 ,large yields and ease of harvesting crimson clover seed are the principal reasons why crimson clover is such an ideal legume crop4 ,farmers may save seed with very little expense other than their own labor4 ,when the seed heads are mature they readily shatter and are easily harvested either by hand stripping or by using horse-drawn homemade strippers4 ,one bushel of unhulled seed contains about #b pounds of hulled seed1 and although bulky in nature1 it can be easily stored on the farm until fall4 ,illustration3 ,figure #f4--;,cutting a crimson clover seed crop with a mower equipped with a bunching attachment4 ,when the seed is mature the crop is cut with a mower1 which may be equipped with a bunching or windrowing attachment 7fig4 #f7 or it may be harvested with a combine4 ,during wet seasons difficulties in combining the seed from standing plants may be experienced4 ,under such conditions the plants may be cut and windrowed and then threshed by the combine from the windrow4 ,as crimson clover shatters easily when ripe1 cutting with the mower when the heads are damp with dew or rain is recommended4 ,if allowed to stand too long after it is ripe a beating rain will shatter much of the seed4 ,after a few days of curing1 the seed is hulled with an ordinary clover huller or a grain separator equipped with hulling attachments4 ,the less the clover is handled1 the less seed will be lost by shattering4 ,troublesome weeds are encountered in growing crimson clover seed2 field peppergrass 7,lepidium campestre7 and wintercress 7,barbarea praecox7 are probably the worst1 as their separation from the clover seed is difficult4 ,little barley 7,hordeum pusillum7 is objectionable in unhulled seed1 and the use of unhulled seed will naturally increase the prevalence of this weed4 ,u4 ,s4 ,,government ,,printing ,,office3 #aich ,for sale by the ,superintendent of ,documents1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 -- ,price #e cents 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber ,note ,illustrations moved to avoid splitting paragraphs and closer to references in the text4 ,minor typos may have been corrected4