Distribution
Category:
ALFALFA
Japan clover is said to be native to China and other
countries in Eastern Asia. When introduced into Japan, the soil and
climatic conditions proved so favorable that before long it spread out
over the whole island. Since its introduction into the United States it
has spread very rapidly.
Since it does not grow early in the season, it needs a warm climate. It
grows much better in moist weather than in a time of drought, but it
will also continue to grow in the absence of rain until the drought
becomes excessive. It will then wilt down on poor soils, but grows again
as soon as rain falls.
Since the introduction of Japan clover into the United States in 1849,
or, as some think, somewhat earlier, it has spread over the entire
South, from the Ohio River to the Gulf, from the Atlantic to the
Mississippi, and also to the States of Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas
beyond the Mississippi. It was early introduced into Georgia, and came
into much favor there. It reached Tennessee in 1870, and soon spread
over many counties. It came later into Louisiana, but soon became very
popular there, largely through the efforts of Colonel J. Burgess McGhee
of West Feliciana, who gave much attention to cultivating it and placing
it before the public. While it will grow readily in any part of the
South, it renders better service in the Gulf States than in those
farther north, owing to the longer season for growth. North of the Ohio
River it is not likely to be cultivated, since in the Northern States it
is not needed, because of the abundance of the red clovers and also the
small white. It is a less abundant producer than the red clovers, and is
also less palatable. Moreover, the season for growing it is much shorter
in these States than in those south; a fact which greatly lessens its
adaptation to northern conditions.
Japan clover has no mission for any of the provinces of Canada, and for
the reason that it has no mission for the Northern States.
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Japan Clover
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