OCR Text |
Show Ladino Clover Aids Farm Production Returns Far Exceed Costs of Handling NOT so many years ago, Ladino clover was almost unknown ex- cept in the irrigated valleys of the western states. Believed to have come originally from Lodi, Italy, the seed was first imported into the United States about 1900. Ladino clover is particularly valuable valu-able for grazing, according to U. JS. agronomists, due to its high carrying carry-ing capacity and large protein-mineral nutritive content, but it' is also adaptable for hay and silage and Is an excellent cover crop. -These characteristics make it especially suitable for the limited farming areas of states such as Vermontand New Hampshire, enabling farmers to grow most of the protein needed for their livestock, dairy andrpbul- - The plant is a rapid -. growing perennial legume, spreading by creeping fleshy stems that root at the nodes. The leaves, stems and flower heads will grow from two to four times as large as those of common com-mon white clover, and about six times as large as those of the English Eng-lish wild white clover. The average life of a good Ladino clover and grass planting is from four to seven years, management and fertillza- W'i 7(,rW,yJ, JCZU'tyt.) '7 77'V, ,a'v Vv I V a ' Ladino clover proves excellent pasture for dairy herd. tion practices determining the length of time it retains its value. Despite heavy requirements for fertilizer and special care in' management, man-agement, results from the use of Ladino adequately repay the effort. Its particular value has been found to lie in the handling of dairy cattle and poultry where a high-yielding, high-yielding, nutritious, high - protein feed is needed. This versatile crop is being used increasingly for hay and silage, particularly when grown with other legumes and grasses, although al-though it is primarily for grazing. |