On Clovers. 451 



varieties, the leading characteristics being almost worn out, so 

 that now the difficulty is to get a true sort. Trifolium medium is 

 no longer sold, and is difficult to get, but the so-named T. pratense 

 perenne is still sold. It is, however, a curious fact that the same 

 seed will not behave alike in different soils, and hence we hear con- 

 stant threats of action at law for supposed supply of wrong sorts. 



4. The Trifolium incarnatum, Carnation Clover, is hardly a 

 native plant, although it is one now commonly cultivated. It is 

 quick in growth, of a hardy constitution, and yields a large crop 

 of herbage for sheep feed in a most difficult part of the year, 

 namely the end of April or the beginning of May. In its wild 

 state it is a small and exceedingly hairv plant, Ijy cultivation it 

 becomes larger in all its parts, and highly succulent. 



It is sown broadcast on the corn stubbles, with only such 

 slight preparation as scarifying, when it soon comes up, and after 

 the young plants have escaped the rigours of winter it begins to 

 grow with such rapidity as to be ready for feed all of a sudden ; 

 this presents a difficulty, to remedy' which the French profess to 

 have a tardy varietv ( Trefle incarnat. tardif). Having grown this 

 side by side with the ordinary market form I decidedly conclude 

 that if there be any difference it is not sufficient to be of practical 

 importance. I prefer, therefore, to sow a limited portion of this 

 trefoil for early feed, and to depend upon vetches for a suc- 

 cession. 



The best soil for this plant is sandy loam. On land of this 

 kind I had a crop nearly a foot high and well covering the 

 ground by the 1st of May, and that in a comparatively backward 

 season. 



5. Trifolium hyhridum, Alsike Clover. This, too, is an 

 exotic plant, but now too well known to need description. 

 Well grown, it is a large and most useful plant, and has been 

 recommended for soils reputed to be clover sick, and I have 

 occasionally met with good crops when ordinary broad clover 

 has failed, but have never observed it to possess that truly 

 perennial character which some people claim for it. Our seed 

 supply is mostly obtained from the Continent, and it is very 

 difficult to obtain it at all pure ; one example I got, named " Pure 

 Alsike Clover," contained as many as 100,000 weed seeds in a 

 pint, being quite enough to ensure a sufficient crop of weeds to 

 smother the clover effectually, and this is doubtless a frequent 

 source of failure in this crop. 



6. Trifolium striatum, Soft-knotted trefoil, is a wild British, 

 plant which has lately been introduced to cultivation by 

 Mr. Waldon. I was favoured with some seed from the 

 Messrs. Sutton in June of this year, and I have now plants as 



