CLOVERS AND ALLIED FORAGE PLANTS 99 



turn brown as they fade, arranged in dense clusters on long 

 stalks. On moist, rich meadow land it yields a heavy crop 

 of excellent herbage much liked by all kinds of stock. This 

 clover thrives under irrigation. If the weather and soil 

 conditions are favourable the seeds should be sown in August 

 or September, otherwise in March or April, at the rate of from 

 two to four pounds weight of seed per acre in mixtures, but if 

 sown alone, from twelve to fifteen pounds will be required 

 for a similar area. The seed should be sown evenly over the 

 surface of well-tilled land, and lightly harrowed, after which 

 the ground should be lightly rolled to make it firm about the 

 seed. This treatment applies to the seeds of all clovers that 

 are sown alone. 



Bird's Foot TrefoH (Lotus major) is one of the most use- 

 ful fodder plants for swampy land, where it will often attain 

 a height of two feet, and provide an abundance of feed on 

 which stock of all kinds do well. 



Bokhara Clover (Melilotus alba), sometimes called sweet 

 clover, is a biennial plant, but in favourable situations it will 

 continue growing for many years. When allowed to grow 

 undisturbed it attains sometimes a height of six feet, and 

 produces a large bulk of sweetly-scented herbage the active 

 principle being coumarine. Bokhara Clover is useful for mix- 

 ing with hay, and when mixed with other strong-growing 

 plants it makes good ensilage. It may be used for green 

 manuring if ploughed into the land whilst it is young. Its 

 small, white flowers, which are produced hi profusion, are 

 much visited by bees. Two additional species of Melilotus 

 viz., M. officinalis, and M. parviftora, occur more or less 

 plentifully in many pastures in various parts of the continent. 

 The former is usually a biennial and the latter an annual, 

 both have sweetly-scented foliage, and produce useful feed 

 for stock in spring. 



