HORTUS GRAMINEUS VVOB U R N E N S 1 S . 205 



Specific character: Heads depressed, of few flowers; 

 stems decumbent, solid ; legumes spreading, nearly cy- 

 lindrical ; claw of the keel obovate ; filaments all di- 

 lated. 



Native of Britain, and all parts of Europe ; also of Japan. 

 R.oot perennial. 



Experiments. — At the time of flowering, the produce from 

 a clayey loam is 10,209 lbs. per acre. 



This plant has been recommended for cultivation by 

 Dr. Anderson, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. Woodward. Linnaeus 

 says that cows, goats, and horses eat it ; and that sheep 

 and swine are not fond of it. With regard to sheep, as far 

 as ray observations have extended, they eat it in common 

 with the herbage with which it is usually combined ; the 

 flowers, it is true, appeared always untouched, and, in dry 

 pastures, little of the plant is seen or presented to cattle, 

 except the flowers, on account of its diminutive growth in 

 such situations. This, however, is nearly the case with 

 white or Dutch clover ; sheep seldom touch the flowers 

 while any foliage is to be found. 



Mr. Woodward informs us that it makes extremely good 

 hay in moist meadows, where it grows to a greater height 

 than the trefoils, and seems to be of a quality equal, if not 

 superior to most of them. Professor Martyn observes, that, 

 in common with several other leguminous plants, it gives a 

 substance to hay, and perhaps renders it more palatable and 

 wholesome to cattle. It has been already observed, that 

 the clovers contain more bitter extractive and saline matters 

 than the proper natural grasses, and the bird's-foot trefoils 

 contain more of these vegetable principles than the clovers ; 

 in pastures and meadows, therefore, where the clovers 

 happen to be in small quantities, a portion of the trefoil 

 (lotus corniculatus) would doubtless be of advantage ; but 

 it appears to contain too much of the bitter extractive and 

 saline matters to be cultivated by itself, or without a large 

 interrv.ixture of other plants. 



It does not spring early in the season, but continues to 

 vegetate Jate in the autumn. In irrigated meadows, where 



