AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 191 



leaving the aftergrowth uneaten, or by spreading straw heavily 

 over the sod to be left all winter, and then raked off. 



423. Besides the true Clovers or Trefoils, several other plants closely 

 resembling them are more or less used, in Great Britain, to mix with 

 grass seeds. Two of them are natives of the United States (a.) 

 Sweet Clover, or Yellow Melilot (Melllotus officinalis,} and (6,) White 

 Melilot (M. leaucantha,} but the most important of this genus is (c,) 

 the Bokhara Clover, (M. leucaniha major,) a biennial. It stands the 

 winters in Scotland, and probably would in our middle States. Two 

 species of the Bird s-foot Trefoil are also used in England. (Lotus 

 corniculatus, and L. major.) Besides these, the following might be 

 profitably introduced among us. (d,) Burnet, (Poterium Sanguisorba.*) 



This is frequently grown in gardens as an herb ; and we find it quite 

 hardy in damp loam on the Detroit River, though it naturally belongs 

 to dry and calcareous soils. It is one of the first plants to become 

 green in spring. It enters largely into old English meadows and pas 

 tures, and from its peculiar bitter and aromatic flavor, would probably 

 be beneficial for sheep in miasmatic climate?. (For picture and de 

 scription, see Patent Office Report, 1847.) (e,) Yarrow or Milfoil, 

 (Achillea M dlefolium} a native of the United States. It is closely 

 eaten by pasturing animals, and has long been cultivated in Great Bri 

 tain along with other herbage plants. (/,) Ribwort, or Plantain. 

 ( Plantago lanceolata.) According to Prof. Gray, this is extensively 

 naturalized in the Eastern States. Cattle greedily eat our common 

 Plantain, (P. Major,) a well-known weed around houses. 



424. LUCERN (Medicago tativa,) together with the next 

 mentioned, are extensively cultivated as fodder plants in some 

 parts of Europe, but are of little practical interest, at present, 

 in the United States. This is a perennial, grows a foot and a 

 half to two feet high, and flowers in June and July. It requires 

 a deep light soil, with an open subsoil. It is sown either broad 

 cast, or in rows, and cultivated with the hoe and cultivator, 

 which process must be continued for at least three years ; till 

 which period it does not arrive at its full growth. When sown 

 broadcast, it has also to be kept clean with the hoe, like turnips. 

 There are two species, both of which have become naturalized 

 in the Eastern States. 





