HOW TO GROW GOOD CLOVER. 123 



Sinclair's figure of "Trifolium medium, marl- 

 clover, cow-grass," in the " Hortus Gramineus 

 Woburnensis," facing page 141, is scarcely a true 

 form of the plant, as its more or less emarginate 

 leaflets incline to the form of T. pratense ; and yet, 

 at the time this author wrote, even this was doubtful. 

 T. medium was difficult to obtain, as he says, " All the 

 seeds and plants I have had for this (except that 

 from Messrs. Gibbs & Co., which proved to be the 

 present plant — T. medium of Sinclair) have turned 

 out only two-year lived plants, or never exceeding 

 three, though cultivated on various soils." We have 

 repeatedly written for seed, and ten years ago were 

 always supplied with samples so labelled ; but in no 

 case did we get it. Latterly seedsmen honestly con- 

 fess that they have not the seed, but can send 

 T. pratense perenne. 



Now, that this latter is merely a variety of the 

 broad-leaved clover there can be but little doubt; 

 still the fact that it is usually more perennial in its 

 habit is of importance. We may easily understand 

 why it should be so, if we consider that the common 

 broad-leaved clover in its cultivation is so much 

 earlier than the coAV-grass form, so that this enables 

 two cuttings of the former to be made in one season, 

 two crops of hay being taken very commonly indeed ; 

 and as the plant gets well in flower before it is cut 

 the first time, and seed is saved from the second crop, 

 a more exhaustive plan for the crop itself or its future 

 perennial powers could hardly be brought about. 

 The cow-grass clover, however, is a fortnight and 

 more later, which renders it difficult to cut two crops ; 

 and so its method of growth is not so exhaustive. 

 We know that the common wild clover is said to 



