The Seed Laboratory of the United States Department of Agriculture during the winter of 1915-16 obtained 172 trade samples of sweet-clover seed and, as may be seen from Table II, many of the samples were not true to name. Table II.--_Trade samples received in response to requests for white sweet clover seed._ Key to Columns [A] White sweet clover. [B] Biennial yellow sweet clover. [C] White and biennial yellow sweet clover. [D] Annual yellow sweet clover. Number of Seed when tested Seed labeled-- samples. found to be-- Alfalfa and-- [A] [B] [C] [D] [A] [B] [C] White flowering sweet clover, white sweet clover, or Holhara clover, or _Melilotus alba_. 147 91 10 28 -- 13 1 4 Sweet clover 22 6 4 2 5 5 -- -- Not labeled 3 1 -- -- 2 -- -- -- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Total 172 98 14 30 7 18 1 4 PREPARATION OF THE SEED BED. Sweet clover requires a well-settled and firm seed bed, with just sufficient loose soil on the surface to permit the seed to be well covered. When the seed is sown in the spring on winter grain the seed bed usually is in good condition. At this season of the year the seed may be sown, so that it will be covered by freezing and thawing weather. It may be sown also when the ground is in condition to cultivate and then may be harrowed or drilled in. When the seed is sown with spring grain the seed bed is not as firm as it should be for the prompt germination and establishment of the young clover plants. If sown in this manner the soil should be worked into a fine condition and firmed as much as possible. It is good practice to roll the ground with a corrugated roller after seeding. Better stands are usually obtained by seeding on fields that have been disked and harrowed than on those that have been plowed. When sweet clover is seeded without a nurse crop it should not be sown on freshly plowed land which has had no opportunity to settle. The land preferably should be plowed several months before the seed is to be sown, and then worked at intervals with soil packers or harrows. Double disking and harrowing just previous to seeding are to be strongly recommended in preference to plowing at this time. When sweet clover is to be seeded in the fall on grain stubble, the ground should be disked and worked into good condition as soon as the grain can be removed. If the seed is sown immediately the field should be rolled after seeding.