AnthijlUs VLihieraria {Ladi/'s Finrjcrs). 165 



by procuring- French or German seed. 1 am not aware that 

 any analysis has as yet been made of the plant ; this, however, 

 should be done from specimens taken both in its green or grazing 

 state, and in the shape of hay. 



Letter from Me. Geoege Tuenee, of Barnkam, near 

 Tltctford, to the Editor. 



" SlE, — In answer to your request, I give you the results of my 

 experience in the growth of the Anthyllis (or kidney vetch), 

 although I fear they are hardly worth recording. 



"Knowing- the district in which IVIr. H. Stebbing gathered his 

 original stock of seed, and afterwards seeing- it growing on his 

 farm at Stow Beedon, I felt convinced it was a valuable plant, 

 especially for light sandy lands, with a chalk subsoil, the nearer 

 the chalk the better. I began by sowing- one acre and an half 

 in the spring of 1860, which piece I fed in the following spring, 

 from the first week in April until the 21st of May, then shut it 

 up to mow ; finding it well headed I saved it for seed, cut it on 

 the 19th of August, and had two good waggon-loads, which pro- 

 duced 5 bushels (of 70 lbs. each) of seed ; the following year 1 fed 

 it all summer; in 1863 I again fed this same piece, together 

 with another piece sown in 1862, until the 21st of May, and 

 I then took another crop of seed ; I began to cut on the 5th, 

 and carted on the 12th day of August, the two pieces had two 

 waggon-loads per acre, and averaged 5 bushels of fine seed 

 per acre, — this is the best crop I have grown. After a seed-crop 

 my land has produced but little after-feed. The two following 

 years I had not so good a plant, neither have the seasons been so 

 favourable. 



" As to ' drawing ' the seed, I have always found this a very 

 slow and troublesome job ; but I get all my seeds drawn by 

 contract, with steam-engine and barrel-machine, at 5^. per 

 bushel. Last year it took me five days to cob and draw the 

 45 bushels of Anthyllis which 1 grew ; but the rain which fell 

 upon it in 1865, whilst it slightly affected the colour of the seed, 

 assisted the drawing very much. 



"To show how I appreciate this plant, I began Avith 

 \\ acre the first year, had 5 acres the second, 20 acres the third, 

 40 acres the fourth, 60 acres the fifth, and 35 acres the sixth 

 (last year), all of Avhich (with the exception of 5 acres) is still 

 laying, and constantly fed Ijy sheep. 



" 1 have always drilled 16 or 17 lbs. per acre with a seed-drill, 

 and the earliest sown in the spring is the best and strongest plant. 

 1 think it will bear to be led very close without injury to the 



