Domestic Notices : — England. 6 "7 1 



I determined on allowing half a dozen of the roots to take their" chance in 

 the ground for the winter, without giving them any protection. They began 

 to shoot forth very strong, and very early in the spring. In fact, some shoots 

 were 1 in. long by the middle of December, looking through the ground not 

 unlike asparagus in the spring. With me, the stems were 1 ft. long before the 

 common red clover began to show signs of vegetation. 



Should the Bokhara clover ever come to be useful in British agriculture, 

 no advantage need be expected from it if allowed to grow to its full height, 

 which is reputed to be 16 ft. The advantage will be found in the frequency 

 with which it may be cut, and the weight of the crop, which must be very 

 great. In the gardens at Castle Ashby, we had a row of the plants cut down 

 four times, each cutting being from 18 in. to 2 ft. high ; and, even now, a fifth 

 cutting may be had taller than any of the former cuttings, only it is more 

 woody and more covered with flower. 



I have saved from six plants, this summer, 3 lb. of good seed, and I think 

 there is nearly as much at the gardens. Seed, however, will be of little 

 consequence, as the plant may be struck from cuttings in any number in 

 the open border, without shade or shelter. I made six to seven hundred 

 cuttings in August, and they have mostly rooted, and put out shoots, more 

 than 20 in. now, and are all in full flower. 



The shoots when young, and not more than from 2 ft. to 3 ft. long, are 

 strong, and very succulent. I have tried horses and cattle with it several 

 times, but they do not seem to relish it, leaving it for almost anything that 

 is green. It is but fair, however, to say that my trials were made only 

 after the plants had commenced flowering, and I believe, if it were cut and 

 given before it gets too rank to the taste, they would not refuse it. My at- 

 tention was at first attracted to the Bokhara clover only on account of the 

 great height it was said to grow to, 16 ft. ; and, as it only came to little more 

 than half that height with me during the first summer, I felt disappointed, and 

 became quite careless about it altogether. However, upon finding out that it 

 was at least biennial, and, further, when I found such a quantity of succulent 

 vegetable matter produced so early in the spring, I began to consider whether 

 it might not be of some advantage to the sheep farmer. In the course of next 

 season, from my present stock of plants, I shall have ample opportunity of 

 ascertaining more fully the properties of the new vegetable, meanwhile I should 

 be glad of any advice as to the best mode of cultivation. — J, Munro. 



Art. II. Domestic Notices. 

 ENGLAND. 



Effects of the Winter of 1837-8, — I have been much interested with Dr. 

 Lindley's masterly and well-arranged paper (p. 475.) on the " Effects of the 

 Winter of 1837-8." Cultivators of trees and shrubs ought to consider them- 

 selves much indebted to him for the extensive information which it contains, 

 and also for the systematic mode in which it is conveyed. It appears from 

 this, as well as other accounts, that plants suffered much more about London, 

 than they did in this neighbourhood, during that memorable winter. Most 

 probably they were more excited by the previous mild weather, than ours 

 were in Lancashire. For the future this may be guarded against, in a great 

 measure, by placing all plants not perfectly hardy in such a situation as will 

 give them the full benefit of sunshine in summer, but shade in winter, and 

 shelter from storm throughout the whole year. The last is an all important 

 requisite, as we can all testif\', who experienced the dreadful effects of the 

 hurricane of Jan. 9. 1839 upon all exposed plants, but more particularly upon 

 the evergreens within its fierce sweep. A large bush of Photinia serrulata, in 

 my garden, lost most of its leaves in that storm, and in spring the extremities 

 of most of the branches were found to be dead for the length of 9 in., though 

 not a twig of it was killed in the preceding winter. If theHorticultural So- 



