On the Failure of the Red Clover. 335 



clovers growing upon them to resist the frost ; yet in time, by the 

 decomposition of these roots, and the cultivation of bulbous- 

 rooted crops, and the treading of the soil by sheep in eating them 

 off, as is usually practised, reconsolidation of the soil takes place, 

 and the same land is thus enabled again to sustain clover against 

 the severity of the frost. 



2. It explains why, in some fields from which the whole clover 

 crop has nearly disappeared, the headlands, where the horses turn 

 round in ploughing, usually preserve the plants untouched by the 

 frost. This is particularly observed on the wolds. 



3. It explains why, on the strong tenacious clay-lands around 

 Hemsworth, red clover after teazles invariably fails ; while, upon 

 the magnesian limestone, particularly around Kirk Smeaton, red 

 clover after teazles succeeds better than after any other crop : — 

 because, in the one case, the continual treading of the teazle 

 spittalers and reapers makes the strong land too tenacious, while 

 the same treading on the light and porous limestone affords the 

 consistency required to preserve the crop over the winter. 



4. It explains why the Duke of Portland found clover to stand 

 the winter on a portion of a field in which the turnips had been 

 manured with farm-yard dung, while, upon the other half, ma- 

 nured with bones, the clover perished : — because the latter have 

 a tendency to keep the land open and to render it specifically 

 lighter, remaining undecomposed several years, and thus the 

 clover upon it to be more affected by frost. 



5. It explains why certain portions of the magnesian limestone 

 will produce red clover every fourth year, other portions only 

 every eighth, others every twelfth, while other portions, as at 

 Barnsdale, on the south side of Darrington, &c., will not, with 

 the heaviest manuring, produce that crop at all so as to stand the 

 winter : — because the compactness of the limestone soils is very 

 variable ; some require pressing for wheat, others do not ; some 

 contain 5 per cent, of alumina, others not 1 per cent. ; some 12 

 per cent, of lime, others not 2 per cent. : hence, upon the more 

 compact, the clover will stand the winter, while upon other por- 

 tions it will not do so. 



6. It explains why, in the south of England, a working flock 

 of sheep is of so much value : — because by their treading they give 

 great solidity to the soil, and also a capacity to the clovers upon 

 it to resist sudden changes of temperature. 



7. It explains why claying or marling clover-sick lands, as 

 mentioned by Mr. Morton (Agricultural Report, p. 77,) should in 

 Norfolk be a sufficient remedy: — because clay and marl give 

 tenacity to the soil, and the power before mentioned. 



8. It explains why lime is called the mother of seeds to certain 

 soils ; — because this earth is one half of the value of clay in giving 



