GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 215 



* 

 Sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa) is a native of England, and was doubtless introduced as 



an agricultural plant from France, having been long cultivated there as such before it was in 

 England. It grows best on chalky soils and calcareous sands ; it also luxuriantly grows on 

 lime soils, even where lime rock is within four feet of the surface, and will not grow where 

 there is no lime in the soil, hence its culture is chiefly confined to such localities. It occupies 

 accordingly a very important position in agriculture in the rotation of crops, in all the chalk 

 districts of England. It blossoms in spikes on long stalks, two or three feet high, the flowers 

 being of a beautiful pink or flesh color. The blossoms appear in June and July. It is a val 

 uable forage plant in localities with soils suited to its culture, and although it has not as yet 

 been much cultivated in America, except in a small way, for the purpose of experiment, there 

 are probably many of our soils in which it would thrive and prove a &quot;profitable crop. 



&quot;When young and tender, sainfoin will not endure a severe winter, being sensitive to the 

 cold, but after the second or third year it becomes more hardy. &quot;We know of no reason why, 

 in some of the Southern states possessing soils suited to it, it should not prove a very valuable 

 addition to our forage-plants. 



Manner of Cultivating Sainfoin. As has been previously stated, it is a plant only 

 suited to chalky soils and calcareous sands, where it thrives luxuriantly with proper cultiva 

 tion. Referring to the chalky downs around Ilsley in Berks, England, Mr. Caird says that 

 about a tenth part of the land is kept under sainfoin, in which it remains for four years, being 

 each year cut for hay, of which it gives an excellent crop. A farmer having forty acres of 

 sainfoin sows ten acres and breaks up ten acres annually, thus going regularly over the whole 

 farm, the sainfoin not returning on the same field until a period of four years of rest from 

 that crop. It is then plowed in the spring and sown with oats, the crop of which is gener 

 ally excellent. The sainfoin is then sown at the rate of four bushels per acre, and is drilled 

 in immediately after the oats have been sown, working the drill at right angles to its course 

 when it deposited the grain. It is frequently pastured one or more years before being mowed. 

 It is sometimes allowed to stand eight or ten years, but four years is considered better. 



On soils suited to its cultivation, sainfoin will grow well for six or eight years; weeds 

 and other plants will eventually drive it out, when it becomes necessary to plow the land. 

 The roots are large and tough, which makes this a laborious process. The first year s growth 

 is generally small, as the roots are then being formed, but after this period a fine crop will be 

 secured, which well repays the trouble of its culture. 



It is sown both broadcast and in drills, about four bushels of seed being required per 

 acre for the former method, and three for the latter. A liberal supply of seed is thus 

 allowed, as many, even new seeds, will fail to germinate. The soil should first be well pulver 

 ized and free from weeds. 



It should be cut just as it comes into blossom, and is used both for soiling and for hay, 

 chiefly for the latter. It is liable to be injured by rains during the curing process, as its 

 stems are hollow. The aftermath is relished by horses, sheep, and cattle. The seed ripens in 

 July, but as the lower part of the head matures so much earlier than the upper, and these 

 seeds are larger and more plump, it is best to harvest them when the lower ones are fully 

 ripe, as they will be liable to become shaken out and lost if the heads stand until the upper 

 portion is ready to harvest. 



Criant Sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa lifera). There is little difference between this 

 variety and the preceding, except this is darker in color and grows more rapidly, besides 

 being somewhat larger and taller in the stalk, and the roots penetrate more deeply into the 

 soil. Though it matures more rapidly than the common sainfoin, during the first growth, 

 still the second crop of the giant variety is usually poor and straggling in most soils, with but 

 little leaf, while the other throws up a thick growth of leaves, abounding in nutriment after 



