instances with wheat or barley when
seed is wanted. The methods of sowing found suitable for alfalfa would
also seem to be proper for sowing Egyptian clover. (See page 78.) As
much as one bushel of seed is sown per acre, but it is thought that a
less amount will suffice under good methods of tillage.

Egyptian clover is sometimes pastured, but it has higher adaptation to
soiling, because of the softness of the stems. When pastured reasonably
close, cropping would probably be preferable, as there would then be
less waste from the treading of the plants. Nevertheless, in Egypt
considerable quantities of the hay are stored for feeding in the summer
months when green fodder is scarce.

Egyptian clover is sometimes made into hay, but it is not essentially a
hay plant. Much care is necessary when it is being cured to prevent loss
in the leaves, and when cured the stems are so brittle that it is
difficult to prevent waste in handling the hay. It is pre-eminently a
soiling crop, and the greater portion is fed in the green form. From 4
cuttings of the Muscowi variety as much as 25 to 30 tons of green
fodder are harvested, and about 10 tons are produced by 2 cuttings of
the Saida variety.

Egyptian clover has not been grown sufficiently long in this country to
justify giving information based upon American experience that could be
taken as authoritative, with reference to the best methods of harvesting
the seed crop. There would seem to be no reasons, however, to suppose
that the methods followed in harvesting alfalfa could not be followed
with equal advantage in harvesting Egyptian clover. Nor can anything be
said as yet with reference to which cutting of the series will furnish
the best seed crop.

The best service, probably, which this crop can render to the United
States is the enrichment of the soils on which the plants are grown. As
the same bacteria which inoculate alfalfa soils will not answer for
Egyptian clover, and as the requisite bacteria may not be found in soils
where it is desirable to grow this clover, the conclusion that it will
not grow sufficiently well in certain soils on which it is being tried
should not be reached until the question relating to the presence or
absence of the proper bacteria has been settled. If necessary to
introduce bacteria from Egypt, the obstacles in the way of such
introduction would not be at all serious, if undertaken by the
Department of Agriculture.

YELLOW CLOVER

Yell