84 COMMONS' KED CLOVER. 



Red clover abounds in every part of Europe, and 

 even in Siberia. Altliough. it flourishes in dry, bar- 

 ren and sliady places, yet it delights most in such as 

 are rich, moist and sunny. This plant affords a 

 large produce of leaf and blossom, by which the land 

 is preserved in a more perfect state of closeness and 

 shade, while the crop continues upon it, than by any 

 other artificial grasses. It has consequently a 

 greater influence in ameliorating the soils and pre- 

 paring them for wheat crops to greater advantage. 

 The preparation of land for the reception of clover 

 seed whetlier sown alone or with a grain crop, is of 

 considerable importance. If the object is to raise a 

 crop for soiling purposes, it should be sown on 

 ground which had produced green crops the pre- 

 vious year (such as potatoes, turnips, &c.) Plowed 

 in the fall and again in the spring, as early as the 

 season will admit, and the clover sown with fertil- 

 izers. This will give the clover a chance to get ahead 

 of the weeds, and produce at least one good cutting 

 the first season ; otherwise the weeds will overtop the 

 clover, and necessitate their cutting before they go 

 to seed. This will also give freedom of air to the 

 clover and give it a fresh start. In any case it is 

 better to sow clover on clean, fertile land. If on 

 230or land, fertilizers should be freely used, other- 

 wise it is time and money wasted. 



The soils best adapted to the growth of clover, as 

 regards its nutritive properties are decidedly calca- 

 rious ones, and the same maybe said of other grasses 

 as well. No part of Europe, for instance, produces 

 natural grass, of a finer quality than Ireland, and 

 much of it has been immemorially in pasture, but 



