90 AGRICULTURE. 



is most profitably cut and used, presents a question 

 much discussed and variously answered ; because 

 depending on extraneous and local circumstances 

 (such as the state and proximity of markets, &c.) 

 which cannot fail to vary the results in the hands 

 of different persons, and even of the same person 

 at different times and at different places. There 

 are, however, some general remarks which belong 

 to the case, and which ought not to be omitted in 

 even this brief view of the subject. 



1st. Clover cut before it flowers abounds in water, 

 has in it but-little nutritive matter, and is even apt 

 to produce indigestion in the cattle fed upon it.* 



2d. The stems of clover cut after seeding are 

 hard and woody, and no longer hold the leaf: and, 



3d. All plants, when permitted to seed, exhaust 

 the soil ; and to this rule clover is not an exception. 



From premises furnished by these facts, we would 

 conclude that the short period between the flower- 

 ing and seeding of clover is that in which its use 

 would be most advantageous, whether regarded as 

 a forage or as an ameliorating crop. 



When seed is the principal object of culture, we 

 cannot do better than adopt the practice in Hol- 

 land, where the first crop is cut before it flowers, 

 and the second is reserved for seed. 



The largeness of the stems, the number of the 

 leaves, and the aqueous quantity of both, render it 

 a difficult business to make clover grass into hay ; 

 and the difficulty is not a lijtle increased by the 

 brittleness or disposition of the drying grass to fall 

 into pieces during the process of handling. To 

 meet this case, two supplementary means have been 

 employed, which enable you to house or stack clo- 

 ver in a much greener or less dry state than would 

 otherwise be safe. The one is to scatter over each 



* This effect of clover (which we call having) is prevented 

 in Alsace by watering the cattle before giving them clover, be- 

 cause a certain quantity of water prevents fermentation. 



