60 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



WHITE CLOVER, 



Wb are inclined to suppose that the excellences of white 

 clover have not been enough esteemed among our farmers; 

 indeed, they have adopted a few grasses as special favorites 

 upon whom all favors are lavished, and the rest are totally 

 or very nearly rejected. 



In regions where dairies abound, and where, therefore, 

 the subject of pasturage is of vital interest, those grasses 

 are sown which spring early in the year and continue late ; 

 which grow quickly, abundantly, and shoot again rapidly 

 after being cropped ; which are nutritious ; which tend to 

 produce milk, and impart to it high flavor. If any one 

 grass possessed all these properties, it would be perfect; 

 and, for pastures, all others might be rejected. As it is, 

 several grasses must conspire to form a sward possessed of 

 these diverse excellences. In this joint result white clover 

 bears no mean place. It is, on congenial soils, of vigorous 

 growth, eminently conducive to the pi'oduction of milk, 

 and milk of fine flavor. These are its peculiar virtues* 

 Besides these, it possesses in common with other pasture 

 plants, hardiness, tenacity of life, nutritiousness for beef- 

 cattle. Thaer, the most eminent practical, and scientific 

 cultivator of his day, says : " It is certainly the most gene- 

 rally approved of all plants that are cidtivated for this 

 (pasture) purpose.'''' Sinclair, whose authority in grasses 

 will not be disputed, says : " nor does it form a good pas- 

 ture Avhen sown by itself. . . but, combined with other 

 grasses, it is a valuable plant." Great quantities of seed 

 are annually sown in England by the best farmers. Fessen- 

 den, of New England, says, "it does not contain as much 

 nutritive matter as red clover ; yet its value as a pasture- 

 grass is universally admitted.'''' This is the experience of 

 Germany, England, and New England. Has experience 

 detei-mined that these good qualities are suppressed in 

 western pastures ? Or is there such a prejudice against it 



