872 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



5522. The species of clover in cultivation are: 



5523. The red clover (rrifblium pratense, fiij^. 119,. a), a biennial, and sometimes, especially on chalky 

 soils, a triennial plant, known from the other species by its broad leaves, luxuriant growth, and reddish 

 purple flowers. In its wild state a perennial. 



5524. The while, or creeping, or Dutch clover {T. rfepens, b), a perennial plant, known by its creeping 

 stems and white flowers. 



5525. The yellow clover, hop-trefoil, or sha7nrock clover, the black nonsuch of the Norfolk farmers 



fji^a (T. procumbens, c), an annual, known by its procumbent shoot.s 



' '"^ and yellow flowers. This species is seldom cultivated ; the yel- 



low clover of the seed shops being the MedicJlgo lupiilina,"the 

 lupuline, or minette doree of the French. (Jig. 773.) 



5526. The meadow clover, cow-clover, cow-grass, or marl- 

 grass, the first the best name {T. medium, d), a perennial, re- 

 sembling the red clover, but of a paler hue, dwarfer habit, with 

 pale red or whitish flowers, and long roots very sweet to the 

 taste. This species is but partially cultivated, and it is ex- 

 tremely difficult to procure the seeds genuine. It comes into 

 flower from twelve to fifteen days later than the common red 

 clover, has a solid stalk, a narrower leaf, and both leaves and 

 flowers have a paler hue. A poor sandy soil, it is said, will i>ro- 

 duce a good crop of cow-clover that would not produce half a 

 crop of the common red clover ; it is also as good the second 

 year as the first. Some farmers sow it because the crop comes 

 in between the first and second cutting of the red clover as 

 green food, 



5527. The Jlesh-coloured clover (Trifolium incarnatum Lin.; Farouche or Trefie de 

 Roussillon, Fr. fg. 774.) has long been cultivated in some of tlie southern departments 

 774 of France, and, though an annual, is found very advantageous on 



dry sandy soils. The Agiicultural Society of Nancy have lately 

 recommended it for culture in the province of Lorraine;" and a 

 writer in the Journal des Pays-Bas, as suitable to many parts of 

 the Netherlands. M. de Dombasle, a theoretical and practical 

 agriculturist in great estimation, sows it, after harvest, in the stubbles, 

 with no other culture than harrowing in. It grows all the winter, 

 and early in spring affords abundant food for sheep ; or, if left till 

 May, it presents a heavy crop for the scythe, and may be used for 

 soiling, or making into hay. (Gard. Mag. vol. iv. p. 392. and vol. v. 

 p. 734.) It was introduced into England about the year 1824, by 

 Mr. John Ellman, jun. of Southover, near Lewis, whogives directions 

 for sowing it in March without a corn crop, and states that it will 

 be in full bloom and fit to cut by June. He says it is very produc- 

 tive ; but should not be sown with corns like other clovers, because 

 it grows so fast as to choke them. {Farm. Jour. March 17. 1828.) 



5528. Trtjoliujn MolinerifiUforme (with yellow flowers), campistre (also with 

 yellow flowers), &x\dfragiferum, are cultivated in France ; but we believe chiefly 

 on the poorer soils. Seeds of them and of all the other species may be correctly 

 obtained from Vilmorin-Andrieux and Co., seed merchants in Paris. 



5529. In the choice of sorts t\\e reA or hroad clovex is the kind most generally cultivated on land that 

 carries corn and herbage crops alternately, as it yields the largest produce for one crop of all the sorts. 

 White and yellow clover are seldom sown with it, unless when several years' pasturage is intended. 



5530. The soil best adapted for clover is a deep sandy loam, which is favourable to its 

 long tap-roots -. but it will grow in any soil, provided it be dry. So congenial is cal- 

 careous matters to clovers, that the mere strewing of lime on some soils will call into 

 action clover-seeds, which it would appear have lain dormant for ages. At least this 

 appears the most obvious way of accounting for the well known appearance of white 

 clover in such cases. 



5531. The climate most suitable for the clovers is one neither very hot nor very dry 

 and cold. Most leguminous plants delight both in a dry soil and climate, and warm 



