August 22, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
157 
rather poor sandy soil, and is not sufficiently nourished. Dig-in a good 
dressing of well-rotted dung all round the roots. 
MaGGoTs In PLUMS (A. 7. Crowhurst).—The red grub of the Plum is the 
jarva of a small moth, Tortrix nigricana. Kd6llar says, “ Our first endeavour 
must be to get the Plum-grub from the tree as soon as possible. If we see, 
for instance, that a Plum begins to ripen before its usual time we should 
shake the tree to make that Plum fall, and immediately convey it out of the 
garden. The shaking of the tree must be continued several days, because 
there may be Plums containing caterpillars that are not sufficiently ripe to 
fall at the first shaking, though these Plums always appear to ripen much 
sooner than the others, as the severe wound which the Plum has received 
brings on a premature ripening. The fallen grub-eaten Plums should all be 
picked up immediately, because the caterpillar does not remain long in the 
fruit lying on the ground, as it has in general attained its utmost size before 
the fruit falls.” 
NAMES OF FRUITS (Z. R.).—Irish Peach. 
2, Irish Peach. 
NAMES OF PLANTS (Mrs. Holmes).—1, Aconitum Napellus; 2, Francoa 
appendiculata; 3, Scrophularia aquatica fol. varieg.; 4, Potentilla elatior ; 
5, Geranium lancastriense ; 6, Sedum oppositifolium. (G. Z.)—Clematis 
Flammula or Sweet-scented Clematis. Propagate by layers in September, or 
by cuttings under a handlight in summer. (/. 7. /'.).—Spergula arvensis, 
Cnicus palustris. (Un Gargon).—1, Veratrum nigrum ; 2, Pentstemon Hart- 
wegii; 3,,.Mentha rotundifolia foliis variegatis. (G.A/.)—1, Pyrethrum Par- 
thenium ; 2, Senecio; 3, Potentilla Rector; 4, Teucrlum Chamedrys; 5, Se- 
dum hybridum; 6, Aster levis; 7, Chrysanthemum discoid. var. (Jan).— 
i, Davallia canariensis ; 2, Arauja sericofera ; 3, Styrax officinalis. (W. Jf).— 
2, Hyssopus officinalis ; 2, Origanum vulgare ; 3, Thymus vulgaris. (J. W.B.). 
—l, Campanula isophylla; 2, C. muralis. (Somerset).—1, Hypericum 
hircinum ; 2, Hypericum Androsemum ; 3, Solidago serotina ; 4, Sedum 
spurium ; 5, Hyoscyamus niger; 6, Chlora perfoliata. (/lora).—Atriplex 
hastata. (/. S. F.)—Chenopodium polyspermum. (W. Dickson Hoyle).— 
Parsley-leaved Vine called Ciotat. (D7. Parry Hodges).—Bocconia jeddoénsis 
It is a perennial herbaceous plant. 
THE HOME FARM: 
POULTRY, PIGEON, AND BEE CHRONICLE. 
(A Subscriber).—1, not known ; 
CULTIVATION OF TRIFOLIUM. 
TRIFOLIUM INCARNATUM, or Italian clover, first attracted notice 
in this country as a flower for borders on account of its deep 
crimson blossom. It was soon, however, understood to possess 
valuable properties as a fodder plant, and notably for its early 
growth, but the cultivation was found at first to be difficult. The 
farmers were so imperfectly acquainted with the best mode of 
preparing the land, that a few years after its first introduction it 
well nigh went out of cultivation altogether. Being one of the 
first successful growers of Trifolium we continued to grow it 
through evil report and good report, and an article upon its cuiti- 
vation contributed by us about thirty years ago assisted in 
keeping the subject before the public. It has now obtained such 
a firm hold on the estimation of growers that its growth is 
general throughout the kingdom, and it is valued as a green 
fodder crop beyond all others, more particularly from its being 
not only extremely productive but at the same time most 
nutritious. We have always remarked that all kinds of stock, 
whether of sheep, cattle, horses, or swine, are not subject to the 
scour whilst feeding on it, as they often are whilst eating vetches, 
rye, &e. 
The preparation of the land is of prime importance, and 
Trifolium differs in most respects from other varieties of clover in 
zequiring the land to be cleanand atthesametime firm. Plough- 
ing the land, let it be treated ever so well afterwards by harrowing 
for a fine tilth and rolling to obtain firmness, is found not to 
answer so well as to select a wheat, oat, or barley eddish. fork out 
any lumps of couch, and then scarify the surface as shallow as 
possible—just deep enough to destroy the weeds and obtain 
sufficient loose mould to bury the seed. Better still is to choose a 
stubble field after any cereal crop, sow the seed, then drag and 
harrow to bury it, and lastly to use the chain harrow, and finish 
off the land with a heavy ring roller, rake off and carry away any 
rubbish and stubble, then strike and make out the land and water 
furrows. 
In choosing the seed we should decide at what period we require 
the fodder, as we have now three different sorts at least, which 
produce a crop at three different periods, instead of formerly. 
When Trifolium was first grown we then had but one sort, the 
early sort of a rich crimson colour, whereas we now have a 
second early sort of a pink-coloured blossom, and the latest of 
all is known by its perfect white blossom. We can sometimes 
obtain a late red variety, but it cannot be so well depended on to 
give the latest crop as the white. These three sorts may all be 
sown in the autumn, and will give a capita] succession of green 
fodder from the Ist of May until the 20th of July if sown in 
certain quantities of each kind. It is, however, now the practice 
for particular requirements to make a succession of sowings in 
the spring months of the two earliest varieties, so that the fodder 
may come for use after the autumn sowings are used. If we sow 
the seed at any period in the spring and allow about twelve or 
fourteen weeks for its growth, capital crops can be obtained for 
green fodder down to the middle of October. The seed may, 
therefore, be sown at any time between the Ist of March and the 
20th of May, and insure a succession of this valuable green 
fodder from the first week in May until the second week in 
October. The best time for sowing in the autumn is immediately 
the corn is cleared, and all three sorts should be sown at the same 
time. Although the late white sort does not come for use until 
last, yet it requires to be sown early, as it grows slowly and is a 
more delicate and tender plant than the other varieties. It is 
necessary, therefore, to have the plant strong and well established 
before the severe weather of winter begins. The chief advantage 
of early sowing is that we are more likely to avoid the depreda- 
tions of the little white slug, which is almost the only insect 
enemy to be feared, and these seldom affect the plant much until 
the autumn rains and long nights commence. So important is 
this crop-in our own estimation that we recollect some twenty 
years ago, when the first sowing of 20 lbs. of seed per acre failed, 
we then sowed 25 Ibs. of seed per acre, and that was carried away 
by the slug also. We then proceeded to sow 30 tbs. per acre as 
late as the second week of November; it came up very well, and 
the white slug could not work in consequence of the white frosts. 
But to show how hardy this plant is, although the seed was only 
just come up when the frosts began, yet it resisted the weather of 
winter and proved a valuable crop, although not quite so early as 
usual. 
The soil best adapted for the growth of Trifolium is a sandy or 
rather strong loam. We have, however, grown it upon nearly all 
soils, including light gravelly land, and if the land is in good 
condition it will give a heavy produce; and as the ground is 
always mellow and kind for root crops after the Trifolium is 
removed, it must be considered the best preparatory crop for roots 
of all the crops grown for soiling, cattle, &c. For feeding sheep 
upon the land this crop is first-rate, but it should be folded-off 
when young, otherwise the stock tread it down and do not make 
clean work. When this is likely to be the case we prefer to cut 
the crop with the scythe and put it into the hay racks, or cages as 
they are called, for the sheep. What they leave can then be 
remoyed, and without delay to the ploughing and sowing of the 
ground with root crops. We have grown splendid cabbages after 
Trifolium, our plan being to lay out the manure and rake it into 
every third furrow at the time of ploughing, and plant the 
cabbage on the furrow immediately over the dung. To save time 
we have sometimes strewed guano or other hand manures into the 
furrow at the time of ploughing. 
Unless Trifolium is saved for seed it should be used whilst the 
stalks and haulm are soft and succulent, as the ripening process 
begins early and rapidly. When once the stalk becomes hard 
and wizy it possesses but little nourishment for cattle-feeding. If 
it is required for hay it must be cut very early, and just as the 
blossom commences to make its appearance. Under any circum- 
stances it makes but poor hay compared with the clovers, and this 
is rather odd, considering its extraordinary feeding value in the 
green state. It must be noted also that Trifolium for hay is 
injured much more by a shower of rain than the clovers. 
Trifolium is often a paying crop if saved for seed, particularly 
upon light gravelly soils, which give but a poor return in the 
erowth of cereals, and we have known, even when the seed has 
not been worth over 4d. per tb., the crop has proved much more 
valuable than either wheat or barley upon the same kind of soil. 
