170 THE VETCH CROP. 



extensively used, both in a green and in a matured state, 

 in soups and other dishes as articles of human food, for 

 which their highly nitrogenized composition renders them 

 very valuable. They are of a pale yellowish white, or 

 cream colour, and are known and sold by the name of 

 Lentilles du Canada. The Canadian Vetch V. sativa 

 canadensis is distinguished from the ordinary varieties 

 by the dull or pale pinkish colour of its flowers, as well 

 as smooth, shining, light green foliage, and dwarf habit of 

 growth, which, together with its later habit of flowering, 

 render it inferior, for the general purposes of cultivation, 

 to the preceding varieties. 



2. V. biennis Biennial or Siberian Vetch or Tare is 

 a native of Siberia, and was introduced to this country 

 in the year 1753. Although strongly recommended by 

 Miller shortly after it was introduced, it never appears to 

 have been much cultivated in this country; in some parts 

 of Germany, however, it is largely grown on the lighter 

 class of soils. It possesses a vigorous habit of growth, 

 reaching the height of 6 to 8 feet. The stem is slender 

 and branching; leaflets small and sharp-pointed; flowers, 

 which appear in July and August, are of a light purplish 

 pink colour, on long peduncles or foot-stalks. This species 

 is generally very productive, yielding a large bulk of 

 fodder, while it has the advantage also of withstanding 

 the effects of our most severe winters. 



3. V. cracca Tufted Vetch is occasionally met with in 

 cultivation as a forage crop. It yields a considerable bulk 

 of provender, much relished by stock, and of a very nutri- 

 tious character, owing to the proportion of water being 

 less than in the common vetches. It has the disadvan- 

 tage, however, of not ripening a sufficient quantity of 

 seed to render it easy to be grown as an annual crop, and 

 it is not productive 'enough to be valuable in permanent 

 pastures. It may be commonly met with growing by the 



