during
the early part of the season. The plants do not make much growth during
the autumn. It would probably be correct to say that it can grow under
conditions more dry than are suitable for white clover, and,
consequently, it is more uniformly prominent in evidence in permanent
pastures when it has become established.

Yellow clover is not a really good hay plant, owing to its lack of
bulkiness. But in some soils its presence may add considerably to the
weight of a crop of hay, of which it is a factor.

This plant produces seed freely. The seeds are dark in color and weigh
60 pounds to the bushel. The seed matures early, usually in June or
July, according to locality. The methods of harvesting, threshing and
preparing the seed for market are substantially the same as those
adapted in handling small white clover. (See page 272.)

While yellow clover is not the equal of the small white clover in
adaptation to our conditions, it would seem that there are no reasons
why it should not be sown to a greater extent than it is sown under
American conditions. A plant that is so hardy, that provides a
considerable quantity of reasonably good pasture, that stores nitrogen
in the soil, and that, moreover, does not stay in the soil to the extent
of injuring crops that follow the breaking up of the pastures, should
certainly be encouraged to grow.

SAND LUCERNE

Sand Lucerne (_Medicago media_), sometimes designated _Medicago
falcata_, is probably simply a variety of the common alfalfa (_Medicago
sativa_). Some botanists, however, look upon these as two distinct
species. Others believe that _Medicago sativa_, with blossoms ranging
from blue to violet purple, and _Medicago falcata_, with yellow
blossoms, are two distinct species, while _Medicago media_, with
blossoms ranging from bluish and purple to lemon yellow, is a hybrid
between these. The name Sand Lucerne has doubtless been given to this
plant because of the power which it has to grow in sandy soils.

Sand lucerne is so nearly like common alfalfa in appearance and habits
of growth, that until the blossoming season, careless observers cannot
distinguish between the plants. (See page 114.) Sand lucerne, however,
has a more spreading habit of growth than common alfalfa, the seed-pods
are less coiled and the seeds are lighter. The root system is strong and
the roots are probably more branched than those of ordinary alfalfa.
Under Michigan experience, given in Bulletin No.