SECRETARY'S REPORT. 99 



aware of my having cultivated the ' Alsike clover' for several years, 

 and believing I am the only one who has done so in Canada, I wish 

 to draw the attention of farmers to this new and admirable variety 

 of the Trifolmm. 



"The Alsike clover is indigenous to Sweden, where it has been 

 cultivated for the last century, and has in some cases been known to 

 grow to the height of four feet; but in England. Scotland, and itt 

 Canada^ about two and a half feet may be the average hight. 

 The root is fibrous, and the heads globular. The plant bears a 

 greater resemblance to the white than to the red clover, and al- 

 though its stems are recumbent, they do not root into the ground 

 like those of the white clover ; in short it may be described as a 

 ' giant' white clover with flesh colored leaves. It will yield in the 

 old country, two mowings annually, but in Canada one mowing, 

 with a heavy second crop for pasture will prove the most profitable 

 course to follow. 



"Linnaeus observed the Alsike clover growing on poor, bare, ob- 

 durate clays in the Morea, where no other plants could be made to 

 vegetate ; and yet under such unfavorable, circumstances, this clover 

 flourished with an uncommon luxuriance, and yielded shoots as ten- 

 der and succulent, though not so abundant, as if reared in the most 

 richly manured fields. 



" Sturm says, it is found in Holland, and that he has tried its 

 cultivation, along with that of a great number of other clovers placed 

 under the same circumstances, and the result convinced him that 

 there is no other kind of clover equal to it for the purposes of cattle 

 feeding. With these remarks I most cordially concur. Both sheep 

 and cattle are so fond of it, that the common clover, or Timothy 

 and clover mixed, are quite disregarded, if access could be forced to 

 the Alsike, both as pasture and hay. The common red clover will 

 last only two years in perfection, and often if the soil is cold and 

 moist, nearly half the plants will rot, besides its liability to be 

 thrown out or winter-killed, and in the second year bald patches 

 will be found in every part of the field ; besides that, in September 

 and October, many crops left for seed, are lost in consequence of the 

 heavy rains during that period, while the Alsike clover, on the con- 

 trary, ripening its seeds perfectly the first crop, and continuing its 

 vigor much longer, much risk and expense are avoided, and a larger 



