Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1924-04-10
Italian Clover -
Is Not Favored
Not Sufficiently Resistant to
Cold Weather and Is Sus-
ceptible to Disease.
prepared BY the United stsRes Department
OF Agriculture2

prepared BY the United stsses Department,
OF Agrieulturs)
Because italian red->eloFer Is not
sufficiently resistant to cold weather
and is particularly susceptible to dis
ease, DR.. A. ]. Pieters and Mr.. Edgar
Brown of the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture. addressing the
meeting OF the Wholesale Grass Seed
Dealers ut Chicago, recommended that
no red clover seed OF Italian origin be
imported and that in certain sections
where the winters are severe, no for
eign-grown red clover seed be used.
Observations and careful tests made
In many parts of the country by the
department and state experiment sta
lions have provided ample proof that
these recommendations are Justified.
Wherever Italian red clover seed
has been tried, with the exception OF
the Pacific Northwest, the result has
been low yields or total failures in
most cases, and when unusually favor
able conditions produced fairly sat
isfact0ry first crop there was little
second growth. Where winter cOndl-
tons are not so severe or where the
snow covering has afforded protection
against the cold the other foreign red
clover has done fairly well, and be-
cause the supply oflhome-grown seed
Is not sufficient 1t Is necessary to use
1t.
Yields Compared.
Actual tests at a number OF stations
SHOW how seed from various sources
produces in the United States. At
Ashland, Wis, red clover from Chile
produced a first cutting Of BIT tons
per acre; French seed produced 20
tons; Bohemian, 3.2 tons; and home
grown seed from Idaho. Tennessee
Wisconsin. Ohio and Oregon averaged
2.S3 TONS Here the heavy SHOWS COW
erlng reduced the effect OF the severe
winter At Spooner. Wis, where con-
dltions were more severe last. year, the
Chilean seed produced 1,94 tons; the
French. 1874; Bohemian, 1877, and
United States seed 2.19 tons per acre.
At Marshfield, Wis, the yields of all
lots were less, Chilean producing 10
tons, French rs. Bohemian ii and
United States 1.6 tons. At East Ian
sing. Mich, the Michigan seed pro-
duced 2.40 tons, other United States
seed yielded 2.1s; Chilean produced
2.52 tons; French 2.25. and Bohemian
f94 tons. The clover grown from
seed made a stronger seed
growth than any OF the others. al
though the European, with the excep-
ton Of the Italian. did very well.
At College Park, Md, Chilean seed
made 2.S2 tons seed from Ohio pro-
duced 2.94 tons; French seed 2.46; Bo-
hemlan 2OS; Maryland seed PAP; and
Tennessee 2.22. At Blacksburg, Va,
Chilean seed produced 1.57 tons
French 1.35; Bohemian 1.l0; and a
number OF lots from different parts Of
the United States averaged 1.59 tons.
At the state college, Pennsylvania, the
foreign clovers, except the italian, out
yielded that grown from American |
seed, but whether or not this was due
% some unusual circumstance inns not
ret been determined.
Results have shown that In most
,ases American red clover seed is more
than foreIgn-grOwn seed,
)ut the crop grown here is insufficient
o meet the demand. An average an
luaI Importation Of 10OO0,O0O pounds
$ needed to make up the deficiency OF
ed and alslke seed. II all foreign seed
we're poor the depahtssent would not
It's importation even In the
ace OF the great shortage, but tests
AVE shown that certain strains do
veil here in certain sections where
he weather is not too severe. There
5 great need to increase the produc-
lon Of clover seed in this country.
Much Seed imported.
II was brought out before the seed
callers that between July /, 1923, and
anuary IS, 1924, more than 6,700'OOO
ounds of red clover seed had been
imported. and that nearly 100000
ounds OF It had been brought from
tally. In addition. about 100000 Of
he seed shipped from otheI parts VI
Europe is thought to have originated
] Italy. Considering the known and
Inspected Italian seed, II seems that
bout 8 per cent Of the imported red
lover seed is Of the kind which will
OF produce a satisfactory crop except,
osslbls. in the Pacific Northwest. The
sed importation act administered by
lie Department Of Agriculture, makes
ertain requirements as TO purity,
resenee OF weed seeds and vitality,
ut these requirements do not make II
ossibfe 10 bar this seed which is
ermInable enough and clean enough,
NJ not adapted to our conditions
The representatives Of the depart
Ient called the attention Of the seed
callers to the prevalence Of anthrac-
Dse disease Of red clover, which Is
,mefimeg severe from Washington, u. G
!. TO Tennessee and northern Ala
anna. II affects the second crop OF
/ clovers. foreign and domestic and
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