VALUABLE LEGUMES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9171, 20 August 1908, Page 7

VALUABLE LEGUMES.

Common and red clover is unquestionably one of the best nitrogen gatherers. An analysis of its stem and leaves shows a percentage 0.92 nitrogen, and of its roots 0.83 per cent. nitrogen, and, as the weight of its roots is more than onehalf that of its stems and leaves, quite an amount of ri'iogeu is stored up in the underground part of the plant. Mammoth red clover, all hough a heavier yeilder than the common red, contains a smaller percentage of nitroi?;-!! than th'j hitter, .«o that, as a ruk\ :i larger total «i mount of nitrogen per acre is left in the crop residue from common red clover. Ci'ims:)i] clover, as a fixer of nitrogen, is less desirable than the two former, fince its i\>ut system is not neaily to extensive. The same may be said ot hairy vetch. The root system of lucerne is very txteiisive. and penetrates to a jr at depth in the soil. The total w.ight of roots is, in fact, equal to mat of ttfjmt; and kaves, and the percentage of nitiogen in both are fdmilar, so that, while approxinn.tilv one-third of the total nitrojjen cont nt of the- clover crop is in the note, t no-half of the nitrogen of a'fiilfa in couiain.d in the roots of the plant.