CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. 221 



in the seed, and follow with the roller. Or the seed may be 

 put in with a drill-barrow at twelve to eighteen inches between 

 the drills, at the rate of ten pounds the acre, and in this case the 

 intervals should be kept clean with the hoe or otherwise. The 

 duration of lucern is six to ten years; though it sometimes, like 

 clover, suffers from the winter. The seed may be had at the 

 seed shops in our cities at twenty-five to thirty cents per 

 pound. 



"To make lucern into hay, it should lie in the swath to 

 wilt, and then be put into small grass-cocks with a fork (not 

 rolled) to cure. After standing a day or two, the cocks may 

 be opened two or three hours under a bright sun, the hay 

 turned, and soon after housed. If spread like ordinary grass, 

 the leaves dry and crumble ere the haulm or stalks are cured, 

 and thus the best part of the fodder is lost. I have mixed lu- 

 cern, partially cured, in alternate strata with dry barley straw 

 on the mow, and found that cattle greedily consumed both in 

 winter, when fed out in the yard." 



III. SAINTFOIN-OR SAINFOIN. 



SAINTFOIN, Onobrychis sativa, although not much known 

 to our agriculture, is noticed in this place, because it is a plant 

 which, in many parts of our country, may be very profitably 

 cultivated; for although this species has an extensive range of 

 the lighter class of soils, it is yet in a peculiar degree adapted 

 to the calcareous. The French, to whom we owe our first 

 knowledge of this plant, call it SAINFOIN sain, in their lan- 

 guage, signifying wholesome and/o/n, hay, in consequence of 

 its agreeing so exceedingly well with all kinds of stock. The 

 Complete Farmer, page 20, says that its cultivation may be 

 considered as out of the question in New England, as so large 

 a portion of it is winter-killed this is the only objection that 

 has been urged against its culture in the eastern and northern 

 states. But this does not affect it in other parts. Every far- 

 mer, without risk, can try the experiment of its cultivation. 



Saintfoin is a perennial deep-rooted plant, with a branching 

 stem, bearing spikes of beautiful flowers. It grows wonder- 

 fully on rocky soils, stretching its roots to a prodigious depth 

 among the crevices and open strata. It is in truth on dry rocky 

 soils that the chief advantages of the cultivation of this plant 

 are seen. On a chalky rock, covered with only a few inches 

 of soil, it will thrive and grow for many years with vigour, 

 19* 



