Distribution
Category:
ALFALFA
Crimson clover is probably indigenous to certain parts
of Europe, especially to the countries that lie southwest and south. It
has been grown to a considerable extent in France, Germany and Italy.
The name Egyptian would seem also to imply that it is grown in Egypt. It
is not grown to any considerable extent north and west in Europe, owing,
probably, to the too severe conditions of climate which characterize
these. It is not indigenous to America, but was probably introduced from
Europe two or three decades ago. Its late introduction accounts for the
fact that its adaptation in some parts of the United States is as yet
controverted.
This plant needs a climate rather mild and decidedly moist. It cannot
withstand severe freezing when the ground is bare; hence, its uniformly
successful growth cannot be relied on very far north of the Ohio and
Potomac rivers. True, in certain winters of much snowfall it has come
through in good form considerably north of the rivers mentioned, but in
more instances it has failed. On the other hand, while it grows best in
warm climates, the growth in these is made chiefly when the weather is
cool, as in the autumn and spring, and in some instances in the winter.
It would be about correct to say that the climatic adaptation of this
plant is nearly the same as that of the peach. Climates too cold for
fruitage in the latter would be too cold for the uniformly safe
wintering of crimson clover. It would also seem correct to state that on
suitable soils and with sufficient precipitation, this clover will do
best in the United States when the climate is too warm for the medium
red clover to grow at its best. In the United States, soil and climatic
conditions taken together, would probably give Delaware, New Jersey,
Maryland, Virginia and Tennessee highest adaptation for the growth of
this plant. Taking in a wide area, highest adaptation would lie in the
States south of the Potomac and Ohio rivers and east of the Mississippi.
Washington and Oregon, west to the Cascade Mountains, would probably
furnish exceptions, but in these the necessity for growing crimson
clover is not likely to be so great as in the area just referred to,
owing to the ease with which other varieties of clover may be grown. In
some parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan many farmers
have succeeded well in growing crimson clover, but a larger number have
failed. The failures have arisen largely through dry weather in the
autumn, want of plant food in the soil and the severity of the winter
weather. Westward from these States to the Mississippi, the adaptation
is still lower, and the same is true of the New England States. In fact,
it is so low in these that it is far more likely that it will fail than
that it will succeed. Between the Mississippi and the Cascade Mountains,
crimson clover is not likely to be much grown. It will not grow well in
any part of the semi-arid belt. In the mountain valleys it would
probably succeed, but in these alfalfa and some other varieties of
clover will give far better returns.
Crimson clover will not grow well in any part of Canada, except in that
narrow strip of land between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific. The
winter climate is too cold for it. Some crops have been grown
successfully in the peach-producing areas of Ontario contiguous to Lakes
Erie and Ontario, but even in these it is an uncertain crop. The attempt
has been made to grow it in some of the provinces of Canada, and in
several of the States, by sowing the seed in the spring. Some fairly
good crops have been thus obtained, but usually not so good as can be
grown by sowing certain other varieties of clover at the same season. It
is but reasonable to expect, however, that adaptation in growing crimson
clover will widen with the acclimation of the plant, and with increasing
knowledge as to its needs on the part of those who grow it.
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Crimson Clover
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