AND OTHER FORAGE PLANTS. 5 



MELILOTUS. Sweet Clover. 



Of this we have two species : 1. M. OFFICINALIS and M. AL- 

 BA, White Melilot, Tree Clover, Bokhara Clover. They are 

 cultivated for forage ; but oftener in the flower garden for come- 

 liness and fragrance. They have run wild in many places, thus 

 adding to the value of native pasturage. 



T RIFOLIUM. Clover. 



1. T. PRATENSE. Red Clover. In a large portion of Missis- 

 sippi, Louisiana and other southern States, this plant grows as 

 promptly and as luxuriantly, and yields as heavy crops of forage, 

 as in any other portions of America. In truth, from a compar- 

 ison of the clover crops of Mississippi wifrh those I have seen and 

 had reports of in all the States further north, it is evident that in 

 the former there is much more certainty and less difficulty in ob- 

 taining a good catch, and in maintaining a good stand ; and in 

 consequence of this, in connection with climatic influences, a 

 larger .yield is annually realized, and for a greater number of 

 years, if desired. 



True this is putting it pretty strong ; but not a whit stronger 

 than, I believe, the facts warrant. I have secured good stands 

 whether the seed were sown in September, October, November, 

 December, January or February ; and even to the middle of March. 

 That growing in the field on the east side of the telegraph lines, 

 which so many of you have stopped to admire, and which 

 Northern and Western men have so often gone in to examine 

 closely and handled to be certain that their eyes had not deceived 

 them, was planted five years ago. Yet the hands declare the crop 

 of this year is as heavy or heavier than that of any former year. 

 By special request, I measured a part of this field two years ago, 

 and after thoroughly drying the clover (dryer than I make it for 

 housing) it weighed at the rate of nine thousand pounds per acre. 

 But others, in various and widely distant parts of the State, have 

 done equally well ; and some much better, I am happy to acknowl- 

 edge. 



I have been asked many times what fertilizers I applied. All 

 of you perhaps have seen and some of you are well acquainted 

 with every foot of this field, and know that it is old, that the sub- 

 soil is a red clay many feet deep, as seen by the cut in the adjacent 

 road, and that there is but little surface soil. It was worn out and 

 abandoned in 1833, the first time I ever saw it. In 1840, having 

 located near by, I purchased and enclosed it for pasture. Thus it 

 was used for years and very much improved. Two years before 

 sowing the clover, I bedded for cotton, and in the beds before 1 

 sowing the cotton seed, on one portion, I applied Bradley's Fer- 



