220 HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



lbs. per Acre 

 Jbs. in one Year. 



At the time of flowering, affords of nutritive 

 matter from the produce of one acre of a 

 clayey loam - - - 1861 -j 



From the produce of latter-math, taken at v 2791 



two different times - - _ 930 } 



The cow-grass {Trjfolium medium), as above. 



Affords of nutritive matter, from the produce 



at the time of flowering - ' - 717^ 



From the produce of latter-math, at two > 1387 



different cuttings - _ _ 670 3 



The weight of nutritive matter, in which the produce 

 of one acre of the Trifolium pratense, (broad- 

 leaved cultivated clover), exceeds that of the cow- 

 grass is — - - - - - 1404 



In regard to produce, therefore, the biennial-rooted clover is supe- 

 rior to the perennial in the proportion nearly of 2 to 1. As a plant 

 for the alternate husbandry, the broad-leaved cultivated clover will 

 evidently be preferred ; but for permanent pasture the cow-clover 

 {Trifolium medium) must of necessity have the preference. The 

 quantity of nutritive matter contained in the herbage of the broad- 

 leaved clover is somewhat greater than in the herbage of the cow- 

 clover, proportionally, according to my experiments, as 10 to 9, 

 The constituent parts of the nutritive matters of the plants are 

 nearly alike, only the broad-leaved clover contains nearly three per 

 cent, more of the bitter extractive and saline matters than are con- 

 tained in an equal weight of the cow-clover. This species likewise 

 contains much less superfluous moisture than the former, and is in 

 consequence more quickly and safely converted into hay ; for it is 

 evident the difficulty of making good hay is in direct proportion 

 to the quantity of superfluous moisture any herbage may contain 

 The comparative fitness of the different grasses for making into 

 hay, which have already come under observation, with those that 

 follow, may therefore be ascertained by the statements which are 

 given of the loss of weight which each species sustains in drying 

 at the different stages of growth. 



The value of the cow-clover has been disputed ; but it seems 

 probable that any doubt as to its merits may have arisen from 



