232 FORAGE CROPS. 



foin with a peculiar interest to those who grow 

 sheep. A plant that will grow equally well, or 

 nearly as well, as alfalfa where sheep are kept 

 numerously, and that could be pastured by them 

 without danger from bloating, would be a great 

 boon to the owners of sheep, since they cannot be 

 safely pastured on alfalfa. 



The preparation of the land for sainfoin is sub- 

 stantially the same as for alfalfa (see Page 97). 

 The seed in the rough form is commonly sown by 

 hand, but there would seem to be no good reason 

 why it should not be deposited with the grain drill. 

 It may be sown with or without a nurse crop, accord- 

 ing to the conditions. 



SPURRY. 



Spurry (Spergula an>ensis) is looked upon as a 

 weed in some of the light soils of Great Britain. 

 This, at least, was true of it at one time. In Scot- 

 land it was called yarr, and in Norfolk, pickpurse. 

 In other countries of Europe, as, for instance, Den- 

 mark, Holland, Belgium, and some parts of Ger- 

 many and Russia, spurry is highly esteemed as a 

 pasture for cattle and sheep, and it is also valued for 

 its fodder. It has been found specially valuable 

 as a pasture for sheep and milch cows. Animals 

 pastured on it are not liable to injury from bloat. 

 Though they may not take kindly to the pasture at 

 the first, they soon get exceedingly fond of it, both 

 in the green and cured form. It is also claimed that 

 it has good milk producing and fattening properties. 



Spurry is a tiny-like plant which grows from 

 a few inches to fully twenty inches in hight, accord- 

 ing to the soil. The variety that has come into the 



