,transcriber ,note ,emphasis is denoted as ,italics and ,bold4 ,,crimson ,,clover ,,leaflet ,no4 #afj ,u4,s4,,department of ,,agriculture ,issued ,june #aich4 ,revised ,january #aidg ,,crimson ,,clover ,by ,e4 ,a4 ,hollowell1 senior agronomist1 ,division of ,forage ,crops and ,diseases1 ,bureau of ,plant ,industry1 ,soils1 and ,agricultural ,engineering1 ,agricultural ,research ,administration ,contents ,page ,adaptation #c ,seedbed ,preparation #c ,fertilizers #c ,seed ,sources and ,varieties #d ,dixie ,crimson ,clover #d ,rate and ,time of ,seeding #e ,inoculation #e ,unhulled ,seed #e ,companion ,crops #f ,diseases and ,insects #f ,utilization #f ,seed ,production #g ,illustration3 ,figure #a4--,principal crimson clover regions of the ,united ,states4 ,the dotted area shows where crimson clover was generally grown before #aich4 ,the cross-hatched area shows where production can be extended by using favorable cultural and fertilizer treatments and adapted varieties4 ,,crimson clover 7,trifolium incarnatum7 is the most important winter annual legume of the central section of the ,eastern ,states4 ,this crop can be grown over a much larger area by using seed of adapted varieties for each section1 by using better cultural methods1 and by fertilizing the soil 7fig4 #a74 ,besides being an excellent pasture plant and furnishing plenty of hay1 it protects the soil during fall1 winter1 and spring1 prevents soil washing1 and provides green manure for soil improvement4 ,this legume has the distinct advantage of producing large quantities of seed that can be easily harvested and sown without the use of expensive machinery4 ,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 important4 ,the acreage has been steadily increasing4 ,during the #e-year period #aidj-de the annual purchase of seed through markets in the ,united ,states has ranged from #f to #ah million pounds4 ,in #aice about #b million pounds were used4 ,in addition1 large quantities of home-grown seed are handled from farm to farm4 ,the common name of this clover is derived from the bright crimson color of the blossoms4 ,other such common names as ,german clover and scarlet clover are frequently used4 ,in general the leaves and stems resemble those of red clover1 but are distinguished by the rounded tips of the leaves and more hair on both leaves and stems4 ,when crimson clover is planted in fall the leaves develop from the crown and form a rosette1 which enlarges whenever weather conditions are favorable4 ,in spring1 flower stems develop rapidly and end their growth with long pointed flower heads4 ,seed forms and the plant dies with the coming of hot summer weather4 ,the seed is yellow and is about twice as large as red clover seed and more rounded4 ,adaptation ,crimson clover does well in cool1 humid weather and is tolerant of winter conditions where the temperature does not become severe or too changeable4 ,it may be planted from midsummer to late fall4 ,in the northern part of the region early seeding and growth are necessary for the seedlings to survive the winter4 ,it will thrive both on sandy and clay soils and is tolerant of ordinary soil acidity4 ,on very poor soils1 stands are difficult to obtain and the growth is stunted4 ,the use of phosphate and potash fertilizers and manure on such soils will help to obtain good stands4 ,crimson clover may also be grown successfully as a summer annual in northern ,maine1 ,michigan1 and ,minnesota4 ,winter culture can be extended into ,kentucky1 southern ,missouri1 southern ,indiana1 and ,ohio1 provided varieties are grown that are adapted to these sections and the seed is sown in fertile soils early in ,august4 ,seedbed ,preparation ,the most important and difficult part of producing a large crop is getting a stand4 ,enough soil moisture to sprout the seed and establish the seedlings is the greatest factor in obtaining a stand4 ,when established1 common crimson clover usually produces a good crop4 ,seedings may be made alone or combined with winter grains1 ryegrass1 or grass sod4 ,it is possible also to seed between the rows of cultivated crops1 but it is difficult to make an ideal seedbed4 ,furthermore1 the crop plants in the row shade the clover seedlings and use some of the available moisture4 ,if the row crop is planted in wider rows and seeded more thinly1 the clover will become better established4 ,when planted between the rows of other crops1 the seed is usually broadcast on the surface and covered by cultivating or harrowing4 ,drilling the seed after the soil surface has been stirred usually gives 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 ,crimson clover is often seeded following a grain crop4 ,this is a surer method of establishing a stand than planting between the rows of cultivated crops1 provided the seedbed is well prepared4 ,after the grain crop is harvested the soil is plowed or disked and allowed to settle4 ,this is followed by light harrowing or disking to kill weed seedlings4 ,before the clover is seeded the sod should be firmly packed1 because a loose cloddy seedbed will not produce good stands4 ,the seed may be either drilled or broadcast1 but drilling will give more uniform stands4 ,fertilizers ,good stands and growth cannot be expected on very poor soils4 ,soil conditions can be improved by adding phosphate and potash fertilizers and manure or by turning under such crops as cowpeas1 soybeans1 or lespedeza4 ,in many soils of low fertility the use of a complete fertilizer will encourage early seedling growth and establishment4 ,on fertile sods crimson clover may be successfully grown without fertilizer1 but on most sods applications of #bjj to #djj pounds per acre of phosphate and #ej to #ajj pounds of potash pay in obtaining good stands and vigorous growth 7fig4 #b74 ,illustration3 ,figure #b4--;,effect of phosphate application on good soil3 ,treated 7left72 untreated 7right74 ,frequently a single large application of phosphate and potash fertilizer is sufficient to produce two crops of crimson clover before it becomes necessary to make another application4 ,in some soils the addition of such minor elements as boron may improve growth and increase seed yields4 ,since the need for minor elements varies from place to place1 their use should be based on the recommendations of the agricultural experiment station of the ,state in which the clover is planted4 ,seed ,sources and ,varieties ,before ,world ,war ,,ii more than half the crimson clover seed used in the ,united ,states was imported1 principally from ,hungary and ,france4 ,since #aich domestic production has rapidly increased1 reaching more than #ah million pounds in #aidb4 ,tennessee produced more than half the home supply4 ,nearly all the crimson clover may be called common crimson clover1 since it does not represent strains or varieties having special characteristics4 ,white-flower strains and several others that differ slightly in maturity have been selected but have not been used4 ,dixie ,crimson ,clover ,dixie crimson clover is a new hard-seeded variety that has given promising results in extensive trials4 ,it is more widely adapted than common crimson clover1 as it grows well in the ,gulf coast section and appears to be slightly more winter-hardy than common crimson4 ,dixie has successfully volunteered to good stands when grown in pastures with ,bermuda grass1 with small grains for grazing1 and in rotation with such cultivated crops as sorghum or late-planted corn4 ,seed of ,dixie shattered in harvesting operations has successfully produced good volunteer stands in fall4 ,when used in rotations with cultivated crops1 the seed must be matured before the seedbed is prepared for the following crop4 ,when ,dixie is used in pasture1 care should be taken to prevent close grazing at the time of blooming1 since it may limit the quantity of seed produced and cause thin fall stands4 ,summer-growing grasses must be either closely grazed or clipped in fall to give the clover seedlings a chance to become established4 ,the seed and plants of ,dixie cannot be distinguished from common crimson clover1 and the variety may be readily contaminated by either cross-pollination or mechanical mixtures4 ,for these reasons the farmer buying ,dixie should buy only certified seed4 ,rate and ,time of ,seeding ,under ordinary conditions #ab to #ae pounds of hulled seed to the acre will give good stands unless there is lack of soil moisture4 ,depending upon the quantity of chaff and pieces of stems1 #de to #fj pounds of unhulled seed is comparable with #ae pounds of hulled seed4 ,crimson clover may be sown from the middle of ,july until ,november1 depending upon the location1 with the expectation of obtaining a good stand4 ,the later it is seeded the less growth can be expected and the more readily winterkilling occurs4 ,early establishment becomes more important as plantings are extended northward4 ,seeding crimson clover either immediately before or following heavy rains1 if possible1 increases its chances of making a stand4 ,spring planting in or south of the ,corn ,belt usually results in a short1 stunted growth followed by little blossoming and low yield4 ,inoculation ,in many areas where crimson clover has been grown successfully for several years it is not necessary to inoculate the seed with bacterial cultures for the production of nodules4 ,but either the seed or the soil must be inoculated if crimson clover has not been grown4 ,if the plants are not inoculated they will develop slowly1 become yellow1 and die4 ,inoculated plants are able to obtain about two-thirds of then nitrogen from the air through then root nodules4 ,the plants may be artificially inoculated by applying 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 usually sufficient4 ,when crimson clover is grown for the first time an additional inoculation treatment is recommended if weather conditions are dry and hot after seeding4 ,this supplemental inoculation consists in mixing commercial cultures with sand1 soil1 or cottonseed meal and broadcasting the mixture over the soil surface during cloudy1 rainy weather as the young seedlings are emerging4 ,a bushel-size culture mixed with #fj pounds of the above-mentioned material is sufficient for an acre if distributed evenly4 ,soil from a field where inoculated crimson clover has been grown may also be used for the supplemental treatment4 ,unhulled ,seed ,using unhulled common seed increases the chance of obtaining thick stands4 ,when the soil is dry1 light rainfall does not cause the unhulled seed to sprout1 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 ryegrass1 and fall-sown grain crops are often seeded with crimson clover4 ,such crops are seeded at half to a third the normal rate1 and the crimson clover is seeded at half to two-thirds the normal rate4 ,seeding 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 ,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 ,dixie crimson clover has given good results when planted with ,johnson and ,bermuda grasses4 ,diseases and ,insects ,the most serious disease that affects crimson clover is crown rot4 ,the effect of this disease is seen early in 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 ,continued damp1 cool weather during winter and early spring favors the development of the disease4 ,this disease can be controlled by not growing clover or other legumes in rotation for #b to #e years4 ,sandy soils in the southern part of the crimson clover belt are often infested with nematodes4 ,nematode injury stunts and yellows the plants4 ,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 fall and spring and furnishes an abundance of grazing 7fig4 #c74 ,if planted early and good fall growth is made1 the clover may also be grazed during the fall and winter months4 ,such a practice has been successfully followed in many ,states where crimson clover is providing winter pasture4 ,crimson clover combined with small grains or ryegrass has been most widely used for winter grazing4 ,crimson clover makes little growth during cold periods in winter4 ,under such conditions1 to prevent close grazing1 it is necessary to remove the animals or shift them to other fields that have not been grazed4 ,illustration3 ,figure #c4--;,crimson clover provides an abundance of early spring grazing4 ,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 on a mixture of clover and grass or grain then when the clover alone is grazed4 ,as crimson clover reaches maturity the hairs of the heads and stems become hard and tough4 ,when it is grazed continuously or when it is fed as hay at this stage large masses of the hairs are liable to form into hair balls in stomachs of horses and mules1 occasionally with fatal results4 ,if small quantities 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 ,crimson clover makes excellent hay when cut at the early-bloom stage1 although the yield may be slightly reduced4 ,for best 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 the usual harvest4 ,crimson clover is an ideal green-manure crop4 ,for best results it should be plowed under #b to #c weeks before the succeeding crop is planted4 ,this gives enough time for decomposition1 which is rapid unless the crop is ripe when turned under4 ,occasionally strips are plowed in which row crops are to be planted1 allowing the clover between the plowed strips to mature4 ,seed may be harvested by hand from the clover between the row crops1 and the remaining clover straw allowed to mat and serve as a mulch1 or the entire plant may be permitted to form a mulch4 ,crimson clover may be made into silage by the same methods as are used for other legumes and grasses4 ,in orchards it is often allowed to mature1 after which it is disked into the soil4 ,a volunteer stand from shattered seed may be obtained in fall by using the ,dixie variety4 ,seed ,production ,crimson clover is a heavy seed-producing plant1 and yields of #e to #aj bushels per acre are common1 depending upon the thickness of the stand1 the extent of growth produced1 and the care used in harvesting the seed4 ,the florets are self-fertile1 but bees increase the number of seed per head by tripping and transferring the pollen4 ,placing colonies of honeybees next to blooming fields will 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 rather than develop flower heads4 ,large yields and ease of harvesting seed are two important reasons why crimson clover is such an ideal legume crop4 ,farmers can 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 home-made strippers4 ,one bushel of unhulled seed contains about #b pounds of hulled seed1 and although bulky1 it can be easily stored on the farm until fall4 ,illustration3 ,figure #d4--;,crimson clover seed crop cut with a mower equipped with a bunching attachment4 ,when the seed is mature the crop is cut with a mower 7fig4 #d71 which may be equipped with a bunching or windrowing attachment1 or it can be harvested with a combine4 ,during wet seasons it is sometimes difficult to combine the seed from standing plants4 ,under such conditions the plants can be cut and windrowed and than 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 it is allowed to stand too long after ripening a beating rain will shatter much of the seed4 ,after a few days of curing1 the seed is hulled with an ordinary clover huller1 with a grain separator equipped with hulling attachments1 or by a combine equipped with pick-up attachments or used as a stationary machine4 ,the less the clover is handled the less seed will be lost by shattering4 ,many troublesome weeds are difficult to separate from crimson clover seed1 including field peppergrass 7,lepidium campestre71 wintercress 7,barbarea praecox71 and the bulblets of wild onion 7,allium spp471 which are probably the worst4 ,seed of the mustards1 rapes1 and turnips 7,brassica spp471 dock 7,rumex crispus71 wild geranium 7,geranium dissectum71 sorrel 7,rumex acetosella71 and catchweed 7,galium aparine7 are also found in the seed4 ,little barley 7,hordeum pusillum7 is a pest in unhulled seed1 and the use of such seed will naturally increase the prevalence of this weed4 ,u4 ,s4 ,,government ,,printing ,,office3 #aidg ,for sale by the ,superintendent of ,documents1 ,u4 ,s4 ,government ,printing ,office ,washington #be1 ,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 ,table of ,contents added to facilitate searching for topics4