230 FORAGE CROPS. 



is esparsette. It is a legume of the clover family, 

 which has special adaptation for limestone and dry, 

 chalky soils. It has been grown in the south of 

 England, in France and in other countries of Europe 

 for several centuries. It has been made to render 

 the best of service in providing pasture for sheep 

 and soiling food and fodder for cattle and horses. 

 In the south of England it is considered indispen- 

 sable on many sheep farms, notwithstanding the 

 excellence of the turnip crops that are grown 

 on these. 



Sainfoin is a vigorous growing plant. It is 

 branched and spreading. Its flowers are numerous 

 and of a showy red color. It will frequently pro- 

 duce two or more cuttings of hay or of seed, and 

 several cuttings of soiling food, in a single sea- 

 son. But it is seldom advisable to seek two 

 crops of seed in one season, since the first crop does 

 not yield nearly so well as the second. It is better 

 practice to cut the first crop for hay, to use it as 

 soiling food, or to pasture it, as in growing the seed 

 of common red clover. This plant will retain its 

 hold upon the soil for several years. But other 

 grasses are much prone to crowd it out as it becomes 

 older. In some instances it is only grown for one 

 or two seasons, but usually the seed is too costly to 

 admit of thus sowing sainfoin. 



In Europe it is common to sow the seed while 

 yet in the seed sac, but it is not always sown thus. 

 In the rough form from four to five bushels of seed 

 per acre are used. When harvesting the seed much 

 care must be exercised in handling the crop or much 

 of the seed will be lost. It should not be handled in 

 the heat of the day. And when being made into 



