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Sweet Clover Not An Alfalfa

Categories: Grains and Forage Crops

I send you a sample of alfalfa which grows very vigorous here on my

place spontaneously and would like you to give me all the information

about it you will, as a feed for cows and hogs. The stock seem to eat it

well.



The plant is not alfalfa at all. It is white sweet clover (melilotus

alba), and it is usually considered a great pest in alfalfa fields,

because although it grows vigorously as you describe, it is not

generally accepted by stock, unless once in awhile some one considers it

a good thing, perhaps because he keeps stock hungry enough to enjoy it

in spite of its rank taste and smell, but, usually when they can get

alfalfa they will not pay much attention to this plant. It is good for

bee pasturage, however, and is grown to some extent for that purpose.

You probably had the seed of it in your alfalfa seed. It is a biennial

and not a perennial like alfalfa. It will disappear if you can keep it

from going to seed.



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