HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSI3. 143 



produce of latter-math, taken at two different times, 930 lbs, ; 

 total 2,791 lbs. per acre in one year. 



The cow-grass (trifolium medium), as above, affords of nutri- 

 tive matter, from the produce at the time of flowering, 717 lbs. ; 

 from the produce of latter-math, at two different cuttings, 

 670 lbs. ; total 1,387 lbs. per acre in one year. 



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 1,404 lbs. per acre in 

 one year. 



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

 is superior 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 ray 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 contained 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 value of the cow-clover has been disputed, but it 

 seems probable that any doubts as to its merits, may have 

 arisen from using it instead of the trifolium pratense (biennial 

 red clover) in the alternate husbandry, for which it seems 

 unfit, or at least greatly inferior to that species. But for 

 permanent pasture, on soils too light for the trifolium pra- 

 tense perenne, its value is undoubtedly considerable. 



It flowers about the beginning of July, and the general 

 crop of seed is ripe about the beginning of September. Hares 



