Alsike Clover
Categories:
THE CLOVERS
A variety of clover that may have gained more
popularity than its merit warrants is alsike clover. It is more nearly
perennial than the mammoth. The roots do not go deep into the subsoil
like those of the red or the mammoth, and therefore it is better
adapted to wet land. It remains several years in the ground when
grazed, and is usually found in seed mixtures for pastures. It is
decumbent, and difficult to harvest for
hay when seeded alone. It is
credited with higher yields than the red by most authorities, but this
is not in accord with observation in some regions, and it is markedly
inferior to the red in the organic matter and the nitrogen supplied the
soil in the roots.
The popularity of this clover is due to its ability to withstand some
soil acidity and bad physical conditions. In regions where red clover
is declining on account of lack of lime, one may see some alsike. The
rule is to mix alsike with the red at the rate of one or two bushels of
the former to six bushels of the latter. As the seed of the alsike is
hardly half as large as that of the red, the proportion in the mixture
is greater than some farmers realize. The practice is an excellent one
where the red will not grow, and the alsike adds fertility, but when
the soil has been made alkaline, the red clover should have nearly all
the room. Alsike is a heavy producer of seed.