While subterranean clover had been known for a very long time in Central and Southern Europe, it was looked upon as a roadside weed. Its value as a fodder crop was discovered, proved and first promoted by
Amos William (A.W.) Howard, of
Mount Barker, South Australia. Howard proved the clover to be a valuable fodder plant in some soil types in temperate climates. Subterranean clover revolutionised farming practice, converting many struggling farms into successful livestock holdings. The discovery spread across Australia and to many other countries, due largely to Howard's generosity in publishing articles about the clover, supplying seed free of charge around the world, and advising on handling. By the time of his death on 2 March 1930, thousands of hectares in South Australia were carrying subterranean clover. It was also growing in all Australian States, and requests for seed and information were being received in great numbers from almost all countries in the world which had a temperate climate. Howard's work is commemorated by a roadside plaque, by the incorporation of a clover leaf into the arms of the
District Council of Mount Barker, and by the Howard Vineyard and winery on the same site. In 1936,
Yvonne Aitken — a graduate of Agricultural Science at the
University of Melbourne — undertook considerable research into the species alongside another Melbourne graduate, Jim Harrison. Through two sets of extensive experiments, including a four-year time-of-sowing experiment, they were able to conclude that flowering time was controlled by response to hours of daylight and temperature change. ==References==