114 nOW TO GROW GOOD CLOVER. 



whilst less dense beads of flowers and general varia- 

 tions in height, size, and luxuriance of the whole 

 plant, are all circumstances in the natural history of 

 this species in the wild state which will prepare us 

 duly to understand the nature of the many forms of 

 the plant which are found in cultivation. Of these 

 we have, besides others, English, French, American, 

 and Dutch sorts, which differ in such minor details, 

 as a greater or lesser hairiness, or variations in the 

 colour and size of the flowers, leaves, &c. The most 

 important point connected with the broad-leaved 

 clover is its permanency ; some sorts scarcely main- 

 taining a plant for two years, whilst others are said 

 to be more or less perennial. This, however, is a 

 matter which we conceive depends more upon the 

 soil and the kind of cultivation than upon the sort ; 

 for, although all seedsmen supply two sorts, namely, 

 Trifolium pratense and Trifolium pratense perenne, 

 yet they run so much the one into the other, that 

 it is oftentimes exceedingly difficult to distinguish 

 them. 



In order that the reader may see the differences 

 and agreements of the three sorts, — 1, Trifolium pra- 

 tense (of the meadow) ; 2, Trifolium pratense (the 

 arable plant) ; and 3, Trifolium pratense perenne 

 (also of the arable), — we give their characters in 

 parallel columns, on p. 115. 



Now, although the study of the characters, as here 

 laid down with the specimens in our hand, may 

 render it tolerably easy to distinguish the three forms 

 here described, yet it must be confessed that whether 

 Ave examine a series of the wilder plants from different 

 positions, or different samples of the cultivated broad- 

 leaved clovers, we shall find great variations; the 



