SWEET CLOVER should be cut for seed when three-fourths of the seedpods have turned dark brown to black. At this time some flowersand many immature pods will be found on the plants, but the field willhave a brownish cast.

Sweet-clover seed pods shatter badly when mature. For this reasonevery precaution should be taken to cut the plants at the proper stage andto save as much of the shattered seed as possible.

Shattering may be reduced to a minimum by cutting the plants whenthey are damp from rain or dew.

No machine thus far placed on the market has given entire satisfaction incutting sweet clover for seed.

The ordinary mower should not be used for harvesting the seed crop.The seed crop is usually cut with a self-rake reaper, grain binder, grainheader, or corn harvester. The self-rake reaper and the grain binder havebeen most satisfactory.

The seed crop should be stacked unless it can be thrashed within twoweeks after cutting.

Much shattered seed will be saved if a wagon with a tight floor is usedfor hauling the plants. If the wagon bed is not tight it should be coveredwith a tarpaulin or canvas.

The seed may be flailed from the plants, as is customary in the South, orit may be thrashed with a grain separator or clover huller, as is the practicein the North.

The ordinary grain separator may be adjusted so that it will hull 90 percent of the seed.

Sweet-clover straw has considerable feeding value.