Folklore: All in clover

Subject: Folklore: All in clover
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 31 Mar 13 - 07:53 AM

"I'll be all in clover, and when they look you over, I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter parade."

My mother explained to me that it was not like the Thanksgiving Day parade (with the Easter bunny on the fire truck instead of Santa Claus?), and not like the Mummers' Day Parade either, but rather it was just folks out walking around in their best clothes on this day of leisure. But I didn't ask her what it meant to be "all in clover."

At the time I assumed it meant wearing a complete outfit from Strawbridge and Clothier, which was often mispronounced Strawbridge and Clover and which had special sales events called "Clover Days" and which soon after that opened a discount chain called Clover.

But the song was released in 1933, and other songs make it clear that the expression means "feeling very well." So now I assume it comes from the fact that a cow in a field full of clover would be as happy as the proverbial pig in excrement. But that could be just as wrong as what I thought as a child. Does anyone have more information about it?

From the D.T. and Google:

– "The ship's all right, the crew is tight, the Old Man's all in clover" in "Miss Lucy Loo (Rolling Down To Trinidad)" and "Down Trinidad."

– "On shore we were all in clover" in "The Irish Rover."

– "Well my heart was wrapped up in clover" in "At Last" sung by Etta James.

– "I'm all in clover; I'm glad all over; I wanna shout hurray" in "Lucky Day" sung by Judy Garland.

Subject: RE: Folklore: All in clover
From: Megan L
Date: 31 Mar 13 - 08:26 AM

When dairy farming there are things you want in the meadow and things you dont clover is a definate must as this article from a uk agricultural site shows.

David Alexander, Dairy Development Adviser, CAFRE

In the current climate all forage based livestock producers should at least take time to consider the relevance of clover to their system of production. This brief article will highlight some of the benefits of incorporating clover swards on your farm and address some of the concerns farmers may have on using clover.

Modern varieties of white and red clover offer higher yields, greater persistency and are more reliable throughout the growing season. They should not be considered as only relevant and economically attractive to low input / low output systems and organic production but have a role to play on many Northern Ireland dairy farms.

Potentially clover swards can be cost effective providers of high quality home-grown protein and reduce the reliance on fertiliser nitrogen, through their ability to make use of atmospheric nitrogen (nitrogen fixation).

White clover is potentially a long-lived perennial legume with multi-branched creeping stems (stolons). The nodules, which house the nitrogen fixing bacteria, are present as small growths on the roots. The stolon is a key organ in the plants persistence as it provides the means of surviving over the winter and regenerating the following spring.

"Benefits of White Clover

Nitrogen fixation – the conversion of nitrogen from the air into a farm that the plant can utilize. It is estimated that the amount of utilizable nitrogen produced is equivalent to 150-200 KG N per hectare.
Intake – ruminant livestock may consume 20-30 percent more white clover than grass.
Feed Value – a higher digestibility, protein content and mineral content than grass only swards as identified in Table 1."

so to be in clover is highly desirable

Subject: RE: Folklore: All in clover
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Apr 13 - 12:24 AM

Hey, don't forget Roll Me Over (in the Clover). It's how we continue the species.
-Joe-