476 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



it does not yet appear that bones will answer. 

 On this latter observation, however, a farmer 

 near Nantswich in Cheshire remarks, ihat he 

 'occupies a larm in the township olPickmore, the 

 Boii of which is a clay loam scarcely twelve mches 

 deep, the subsoil a gray sand mixed wilh coarse 

 clay, on a bed of jzood clay marl. Two years 

 ago he covered a field with bone manure, previous 

 to which the grass was so sour as not to be worth 

 ten shillings an acre ; but it is now full of most 

 excellpnt herbage, consisiinij ol white clover, anii 

 treibil.' To this he adds, ' that on anoiher of this 

 fields with a clay soil, a small portion of it was 

 manured thirty-two years ago by a former tenant 

 with bones, and that although it has been twenty 

 years in tillaire, yet that part still shows a superi- 

 ority over the rest.' At Clumber Park, the seat 

 of the Duke of Newcastle, 600 bushels ol small 

 bones were in 1822 spread upon 24 acres of grass 

 land in the dairy farm, consisting of dry, sandy, 

 and gravellv soil, which had been laid down about 

 ten years. Their efleci upon the pasture improved 

 the condition of the cows so materially, that about 

 twice the quantity of butter was made li-om them 

 than from covvts grazed on land of a similar quali- 

 ty, but not boned ; and this effect, it is said, still 

 continues. The time for laying-them upon the 

 land as a top-dressing to grass, whether seedling 

 or pasture, is generally recommended to be early' 

 in spring. Seeing that the lenilizing qualify of 

 bones is improved by fermentation, it has led io 

 the supposition that they may he usefully applied 

 in compost with earth and other substances ; by 

 this mixture it has been Ibund from experiment 

 that they soon become decayed and pulverized. 

 It is stated in the Doncaster Report, ' that this 

 method of using bones in the Uirmation of com- 

 posts is recommended by several intelliirent farm- 

 ers, thirteen of whom, solely from their own ex- 

 perience, described its effects as superior to those 

 of bones used sinirlv. With some of these, it is 

 the practice to mix fifty bushels of bones with five 

 loads of burnt clay or good earth per acre, by 

 which dressing, the crops between fallow and 

 fallow, except clover, appear to be increased one- 

 filth in value."'* 



RKD CLOVER, KTC, IN FRANCE. 



(Translated from Le Bon Jardinier, for tlie Farmers' Resister.] 



Trifolium pratense, red clover. The plant 

 mostly in cultivation on the natural meadows of 

 France is the trefoil, owing, without doubt, to the 

 facility wilh which it is brought into the rotation 

 of three years, without deranging the order, a 

 practice still generally followed, and under which 

 system, it is said, this plant has rendered and still 

 renders more service than any other, in contribut- 

 ing to the suppression of the efiects of the fallow 

 year, and in showing that the land can be entirely 

 renovated by a productive year for clover. But it 

 is Io be regretted that this mode of using the clover 

 is not replaced by another less defective ; for the 

 lands where ihey remain, with only a single 

 year's rest for a long time, must wear out. Clover 

 delights in soils new and deep ; it succeeds on 

 clay lands suitably manured, and pretty well on 



those of a sandy nature, if the land does not fire 

 it. It is most generally sown in the spring, on 

 the oats and barley, and frequently on the green 

 wheat ; sometimes in the autumn ; but that season 

 suits only where the land is in fine heart, and 

 where the (rosts will not disturb it. When it is 

 sown on crops already up, and it is wished not to 

 tiarrow it, a time should be chosen when tliere is a 

 prospect for rain. Great care should be taken to 

 cover the grain very lightly, on account of its ex- 

 treme fineness. The pasturage of clover charged 

 with dew and moisture is very dangerous, as well 

 as that also which is cut and led green. It 

 should only be given to the cattle when sufficiently 

 cured. Plaster is excellent manure lor this plant. 

 The quantity of seed to an acre is about 16 pounds; 

 but the praciice in different places is very various 

 on this poini. In one place they put only three or 

 lour pounds, in another twenty, and someiimes 

 more. Gilbert has taken the average of a creat 

 many cantons which he has (ound to be fifteen 

 and a half poimds to the acre. 



Trifolium repens, lohiie clover. The species is 

 hardy, and very well adapted to the pasturage of 

 sheep. It is sown in some parts of Germany to 

 mow ; but its produce in this manner is very in- 

 considerable. While clover grows well on light 

 and dry lands, and can be employed very usefully 

 there. It will grow also on moist lands. I have 

 seen it very fine on meadows so moist that the 

 fetuque flothante, [cat-tails, I believe] grew there 

 in abundance. It requires about twelve pounds of 

 seed to the acre. 



Melilot de Siberie, Melilotu^ alba.* Many 

 plants of this species have otten been tried lor 

 Ibrage, without any being yet established in cul- 

 ture. Even the Siberian melilot, so beautiful, so 

 vigorous, and so luxuriant, notwithstanding the 

 commendations of Daubenton, and of our cele- 

 brated Andre Thouin, has not come into general 

 use. Its stalks, too succulent when young, and 

 too hard when more advanced, render its conver- 

 sion into Ibrage difficult ?nd not advantageous. 

 Its use as pasture would be best, but the want o!' 

 precaution and vigilance causes the melilot to be 

 more dangerous ihan trefoil or lucerne. Cattle 

 permitted to graze upon it alier a rain, or before 

 the rays of the sun have dispelled the humidity of 

 the dews, swell, and often perish. JVlelilot is bien- 

 nial, and can be introduced into the rotation of 

 crops as treli)il ; it grows more readily than that 

 on indifJerent and dry lands. One reason why it 

 should be cultivated is, that it affords bees, from 

 its numerous flowers, an abundant pasture, which 

 they seek with avidity. Sow from twelve to fif- 

 teen pounds to the acre. 



British Husbandry. 



TO THE FRIENDS OF A NATIONAL AMERICAN 

 SOCIETY OF AGRICULTURE THROUGHOUT 

 THE UNITED STATES. 



From the National Intelligencer. 



Fellow- Citizens . -—The object of the present 

 address is to ascertain whether there is, at this 

 time, a sufficient number of the friends of this 

 great measure in our Union willing to lend their 



* Is this the plant of vphich two of your correspond- 

 ents lately wrote ? — TV. 

 We presume it is, crone of the varieties. — Ed. F. R. 



