282 ON THE CULTIVATION 



tliey exhibited but little symptons of tlirowing" out fresb 

 leaves. In this experiment no manure of any kind was 

 applied, as the object was to obtain a knowledge of the dura- 

 bility of the red clover in the ground, when grown under the 

 most favourable circumstances in regard to s})ace and new soil. 

 The ninety-four plants which survived the winter grew most 

 luxuriantly in the summer of 1843, some of which brought 

 to jierfection fourteen stem-llowers, and none fewer than six, 

 at the beginning of August, at which time one-half were cut 

 down, and the other half allowed to grow to the end of 

 September, much about the time that the second crop attains 

 its maturity, when we foimd that the plants which had 

 thrown out the greatest number of flower-stems, when cut 

 in August, were deficient in the number of their stems to the 

 plants which were less vigorous at that time. After the 

 September cutting they began to throw out leaves of a more 

 sickly character than they had yet exhibited, but no flower- 

 stems. Not more than nine plants survived the winter ; and 

 the only indication of their having- done so was but a few 

 sickly leaves, which made their appearance in April 1844, 

 after which they died. 



It a[>j)ears from this experiment, and also from the dura- 

 tion of the plants of the first experiment in which we tried to 

 find out the proper depth of cover, that all the diflerent varie- 

 ties of red clover generally cultivated in this country,',whether 

 the seed is from Holland, America, or any other quarter, are 

 biennial, instead of perennial, as they are often represented to 

 be. It is true that we often find plants of red clover, in 

 fields which have been sown out with it, years afterwards ; 

 but these have arisen from seeds which were ]>laced imder 

 circumstances imfavourable to germination. As, for example, 

 besides a sufiicient depth of earth, stones are often pressed 

 down with the roller upon the top of seeds, the air excluded, 

 and germination for a time prevented. Next spring- the 

 stones are taken away on account of the hay-cutting, or they 

 are turned over by sheep in winter, when this obstacle to 

 g-ermination is removed ; but instead of in the first spring", 

 this change in circumstances might take place at any future 

 period, and the seed will sjn-ing \\p then, if it has not lost 

 its vitalit3\ Besides, there is a variet}- of red clover which 

 is perennial, and indigenous to many soils of this country, 

 more especially the drier ])arts of meadow land which have 

 not l)een ploughed ; but the seed of this variety is not com- 

 monly sold in the shops. 



