FOREIGN SEED CHARACTERS OF. 89 



amount of nutritious and sweet herbage. It comes to full 

 maturity the second year, and produces seed of a fine bold 

 purple colour. As we have principally to rely upon other 

 countries for our supply of seed, we meet with many dif- 

 ferent varieties in our crops, partaking more or less of the 

 characters of the plants of the different countries that fur- 

 nished the seed. For instance, we have in oiir markets 

 seed known as Holstein, German, Cologne, Juliers or 

 Dutch, Flemish, French, American, and Normandy Red 

 Clovers ; and of these the Dutch and French varieties are 

 the most esteemed. The former of these is of a light 

 colour, and of a strong and coarse habit of growth, and 

 succeeds better than most of the others on strong soils of an 

 inferior description, particularly such as are of a dampish 

 character. Its seeds are easily distinguished by their being 

 large, but not so plump and well filled, and of a yellower 

 colour than those of most of the others, arising probably 

 from the humidity of the climate in which they are grown. 

 The French clover is remarkably smooth in all its parts ; 

 leaflets roundish, and altogether of a rich green succulent 

 appearance. The seeds, which are chiefly from the southern 

 departments of France, are small, plump, and have a con- 

 siderable portion of purple in their colour. This variety 

 is best suited for superior soils in good districts. The Nor- 

 mandy clover is from the northern part of France, and 

 appears to be of a strong luxuriant habit of growth ; it is 

 of a dark green colour, produces comparatively few 

 flowers, and is some days later than the common sorts. 



Trifolium pratense perenne Native Perennial Red 

 Clover. This variety is so distinct from the foregoing 

 cultivated Red clovers, that by some it has been classed 

 as a distinct species. Compared with the common clovers, 

 its flowers, foliage, and stem are in general of a darker 

 colour ; the leaflets are narrower, and, together with the 

 steins, are much more downy or hairy, and the roots more 



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