Factors influencing germination and growth of sweet clover

Abstract

Sweet clover plants become more susceptible to low temperatures as they advance in age. They are most resistant when in the crook stage.

Plants resulting from unhulled seed are more vigorous and resistant to low temperatures than are plants resulting from scarified seed.

Plants from unhulled seed produce larger bay yields and more profits than do similar plants resulting from scarified seed.

Soils containing a medium percentage of moisture afford more optimum conditions for plant growth than do soils of extremely low or high moisture content.

There is an indication, but not conclusive, that the physiological activity of seedlings from scarified seed is slightly more rapid than is the ease of imhulled seedlings.

Alternate freezing and thawing of impermeable sweet clover seed, or treating with concentrated sulphuric acid, does not increase, to any significant degree, the percentage of germination. It seems that the subjection of seed to a moist condition is just as effective as any attempt to increase germination by artificial means.