Book VI. 



CLOVER FAMILY. 



801 



in particular situations ; more especially the latter, which will produce good crops on 

 dry chalky and limestone soils, when most other agricultural plants and even grasses 

 would barely maintain their existence. 



4983. The characteristic points of culture of this class of plants are broad-cast sowing, 

 mowing, soiling, and hay-making, and that when cut for the two last purposes, two or 

 more crops may be had in a season from the same roots. 



4984. The nutritive products of the principal herbage plants are thus given by Sir 

 H. Davy : 



Sect. I. The Clover Family. Trifolium, L. Diadel. Decan. L. and Leguminosece, 'J, 

 Trefle, Fr. ; Klee, Ger. ; and Trifoglio, Ital. 



4985. The clovers [Jig. 568.) are a numerous family, chiefly natives of Europe : those 

 selected by the agriculturist are natives of Britain j and one species, the white or 



creeping clover, is often found in great luxuriance in native pastures. As rye-grass is 

 very generally sown with clovers, it will be necessary to treat of its culture in connec- 

 tion with these plants, reserving, however, the more particular consideration of rye-grass 

 till we treat of the hay grasses. (Chap. VI.) Many intelligent cultivators consider rye- 

 grass as a very severe crop for the soil ; and it is alleged that wheat does not succeed 

 well after the herbage with which rye-grass is intermixed in any considerable quantity. 

 Other plants have accordingly been recommended as a substitute for rye-grass, and 

 cock's-foot {Daclylis glomerata) has been tried, apparently with great success, by Coke, 

 of Holkham in Norfolk, and others. But this is a very coarse grass when allowed to 

 rise to any height, and the use of it for hay has not yet been ascertained. Donaldson 

 considers the general introduction of clovers, and the cultivated grasses, as one of the 

 greatest improvements in modern husbandry. The commencement of improvements in 

 the different species of live-stock, in the modes of cultivation, and in the superior quality, 

 as well as quantity, of the crops of grain, may all, he thinks, be dated from the period 

 when the sowing of clovers and grass-seeds was first introduced into the different districts 

 of the kingdom. 



4986. The species of clover \n cultivation are the red clover, (Trifolium pratense, a), 

 a biennial, and sometimes, especially on chalky soils, a triennial plant, known from the 

 other species by its broad leaves, luxuriant growth, and reddish purple flowers. 



4987. The white, or creeping, or Dutch clover, (T. repens, b), a perennial plant, known 

 by its creeping stems and white flowers. 



4988.. The yellow clover, hop-trefoil, or shamrock clover, ( T. j)rocumbens, c), a biennial, 

 known by its procumbent shoots, yellow flowers, and black seeds. 



49^9. The cow-grass, meadow clover, or marl-grass, (T. medium, d) a perennial, re- 

 sembling the red clover, but of a paler hue, dwarfer habit, with pale red or whitish 

 flowers, and long roots very sweet to the taste. 



3 F 



