HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBli RN K N SIS. 215 



on clay ; but the nutritive powers of the herbage produced 

 on the sandy soil is greater. 



Sainfoin grows wild in all the chalky districts in England ; 

 but it was first introduced to English farmers as a plant for 

 cultivation from Flanders and France, where it has been 

 long cultivated. Parkinson, in the year 1640, says, that it 

 is "generally known to be a singular food for cattle, causing 

 them to give store of milk." — Worlidge, in his Mystery of 

 Husbandry, &c. (1681), treats of sainfoin at large: *' Tn 

 Wiltshire, in several places," says he, '* there are precedents 

 of sainfoin that has been there twenty years growing on 

 poor land, and has so far improved the same, that from a 

 noble per acre, twenty acres together have been certainly 

 worth thirty shillings per acre, and yet continues in good 

 proof." — These extracts show the high opinion which was 

 entertained of this plant above one hundred years ago ; but 

 this was, no doubt, in a great measure owing to the small 

 number of plants then known for sowing in the farm. 



The experiments that have here been made on this plant 

 were confined to a clayey loam and a light siliceous soil. 

 Upon these it was evidently inferior to the broad-leaved and 

 perennial red clover ; but on chalky and gravelly soils there 

 have been abundant proofs of the superior value of sainfoin. 

 After the ample details of the uses and cultivation of sainfoin, 

 given in Mr. Young's Annals, it will be difficult to add any 

 thing new. It is a perennial plant, and produces but little 

 herbage the first year, and on that account should not be 

 sown on land that is intended to remain only two years 

 under grass. In Mr. Young's Annals we are informed, that 

 sainfoin is allowed on all hands to be an admirable improve- 

 ment on limestone rocks and chalk downs, which, in order 

 to be cultivated to the greatest advantage, should be in this 

 course, with no more arable than is necessary for the change. 

 Thus, jf sainfoin last sixteen years, as it certainly will if 

 properly managed, then sixteen parts of the down should be 

 sainfoin, and as many more parts as there are years neces- 

 sary for tillage, before the ground should be sowed with it 

 again : suppose this period to be five years, the portions 

 would then be 16 sainfoin, 1 sanifoin ])ared and burnt 



