562 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



spring sowings. In one case the plants survived in a plot 

 for 8 to 10 years. 



At the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Canada, 

 sainfoin has given the most favorable results reported in 

 America. A plot sown May 14 was cut August 12 and 

 yielded 3700 pounds hay to the acre ; the next year it was 

 cut twice, the yields being respectively 4200 and 5400 

 pounds of hay to the acre. During three years the annual 

 yields in hay to the acre were respectively 7160, 9160 and 

 13,398 pounds. The yield in the third year was larger 

 than that of any other of 18 hay crops, either single or in 

 mixtures. 



OTHER PERENNIAL LEGUMES 



679. Sulla or Spanish sainfoin ( Hedysarum coronarium) 

 is a perennial legume native to the Mediterranean region 

 of Europe and north Africa, where its culture is locally 

 important in Spain, Sicily, Malta and southern France. 

 Its culture was recorded in Italy in 1766, but it is probably 

 still older. The plant has deep roots ; ascending stems 

 1 to 3 feet long ; pinnate leaves with 3 to 5 pairs of oval, 

 obtuse, pale leaflets ; flowers numerous in erect racemes ; 

 pods flattened, constricted between the circular joints. 



The ordinary variety has red flowers and under favorable 

 conditions grows 4 to 5 feet high. Another variety with 

 white flowers grows less tall. In Algeria there is said to 

 be a red-flowered, biennial variety. 



Sulla is especially adapted to deep soils, especially if 

 calcareous, but will grow on any deep, fertile, well-drained 

 soils. It is commonly planted in the spring, and thus 

 sown, will yield on dry soil one cutting the first season and 

 thereafter two. Under irrigation three or more cuttings 

 may be obtained. 



The seed germinates poorly, much of it being hard, but 



