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state: it is a very good fodder then also, especially for horses 

 which like it very much indeed. But it cannot render there such 

 good services for the reason, that it flowers too short a time, 

 about a week only, and becomes hard after this, so that a farmer 

 can cut it for green fodder during about a week only, from doing 

 which he is kept back very often if, in a busy time, his attention 

 is being attracted by some other, more important work, which 

 ought to be done. 



Though the duration of a field of Sainfoin is considered to 

 be 3, 4 or 5 years; yet, if well-manured and helped that way, it 

 may under certain circumstances and conditions of both soil and 

 climate, easily reach 8 or 10 years. And here it must be stated, 

 that the Hedysarum bifera (single Sainfoin), though pro- 

 ducing less in quantity the first couple of years and though it 

 does not flower again the same season, whereas the Hedysa- 

 rum onobrychis (double S a i n f a i n) does, and consequently pro- 

 duces less in bulk after the first cut is off than the latter, it is 

 stronger in its capacity of maintaining itself than the double variety. 



There is one thing more that requires attention in regard to 

 the cutting, viz this, that it is not advisable to mow 1 the field 

 during a lasting wet period, the fact being, that with that sort of 

 weather the stubbles on the field tend to fill themselves easily 

 with water. In that state the plants are very much liable to rot 

 away and along with them the roots, thus causing larger or small- 

 er bare spots to present themselves. 



As will be clear from the foregoing, it is the double Sainfoin 

 only which after the first cut has been taken, produces anything like 

 a second ditto. But the first cut of both varieties yields a fair bulk. 



If grasses are to be sown along with Sainfoin we would, as 

 answering the purpose best, recommend Perennial and Italian 

 Ryegrasses, Avena elatior (Tall Oat-grass), Dactylis glo- 

 m e r a t a (Orchard-grass) and Timothy. 



Lotus corniculatus (Coarse-grained Bird's-foot Trefoil). An 

 excellent fodder for nearly all sorts of soil, except the very moist- 

 est and driest sand soils. Not only is it useful from a nutritive 

 point of view, but also from the fact, that of all the clovers it is 

 the one which lasts the longest. It is no exception to find it back 

 in fields 20 or 30 years after it has been sown, especially in good 

 soils which are being regularly and well-manured. It does not 

 produce that quantity which either Red- or Lucerne clover 



