11 OUT us cuamim:us wouuknensis. 2G5 



bow stiiiitcd, semi-ovate, stem ciect. Fig. 1. Calyx 

 and anthers. 

 Obs. — Sicilian Melilot Trefoil. — Leaves ternate, fleshy, 

 subserrate ; flowers yellow, small ; legumes rather 

 oblong, whitish, wrinkled, with semi-circular streaks ; 

 seeds bigger than in l. meli/oius officinalis^ racemes axil- 

 lary, short, erect; legumes one or two seeded, subcom- 

 pressed, pendulous, oblong, attenuated at both ends, 

 acute, slightly curved in one side. 

 Native of Siberia, Italy, Sicily, and Barbary. Root bien- 

 nial. 

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



a rich clayey loam is 74,868 lbs, per acre. 

 The root of this species of clover is biennial when the 

 plant is permitted to perfect its seed ; but if kept from 

 flowering, the root remains fertile for four or five years. It 

 produces little after-grass, but a great weight of crop at the 

 time of flowering. In this respect it is much superior to 

 most other plants of the same class employed in alternate 

 croj)ping, as the following particulars manifest : — 



Trifolinm livalcnse (broad-leaved red clover), jjroduce per 

 acre, herbage, 49,005 lbs. 



Medicago sativa (lucern), from a soil of the like nature, 

 produces grass, 70,785 lbs. 



Iledj/sarum onobri/cJiis (sainfoin), produces per acre, herb- 

 age, 8,848 lbs. 



It requires good shelter, and a deep soil. The deficiency 

 of latter-math takes i^iuch from the merits of this plant. 

 Under circumstances where it may be desirable to plough 

 up the land after the summer crop is taken, hardly any 

 plant can be more valuable than this one ; as in this respect, 

 from the foregoing facts, it is evident that the plant, on an 

 equal soil, affords twice the quantity of nutritive matter of 

 that afforded by the broad-leaved clover. The produce of 

 lucern, in quantity, comes nearer to this clover, but it is 

 inferior in nutrient qualities. The leg continuance of 

 lucern in the soil is therefore the chief advantage it possesses 

 over this plant ; however, when that, or depasturing, is pur- 



