Then in the 1950s a chemical company, to advance a weed killer, used a public relations campaign to declare white clover a weed.
http://americangardening.net/public-relations-campaign-attacks-clover ... Did Monsanto use a public relations campaign to declare white clover a weed?
[Clover] was actually how lawns were done in most of the US for a long time, until Roundup was developed. That shit kills everything except lawn grass, including helpful clover, so the makers went on an enormous smear campaign to convince everyone that clover is a weed. It's not.
reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/lhjfst/wibta_for_clovering_my_lawn
Prior to European colonization, the grasses on the East Coast of North America were mostly broom straw, wild rye, and marsh grass. As Europeans moved into the region, it was noted by colonists in New England, more than others, that the grasses of the New World were inferior to those of England and that their livestock seemed to receive less nutrition from it. In fact, once livestock brought overseas from Europe spread throughout the colonies, much of the native grasses of New England disappeared, and an inventory list from the 17th century noted supplies of clover and grass seed from England. New colonists were even urged by their country and companies to bring grass seed with them to North America. By the late 17th century, a new market in imported grass seed had begun in New England.
Up until WWII, clover was commonplace in American yards. In fact, many grass seed mixes included clover, as it works as an excellent ground cover in areas with poor soils (since it produces its own nitrogen) and won’t hurt your grass.
roundup.com/en-us/library/specific-weeds/what-clover-and-how-do-i-control-it
That is good enough to believe clover was common/commonplace before grass. I mean, the other side (Roundup) said it themselves. I'm still skeptical of the supposed smear campaign by Roundup though. Are there any documents about what changed the American public to adopt grass instead?