320 CLOVERS 



soils which abound in the south of England. On 

 the dry, limestone soils of this country it ought to 

 succeed. It has shown much adaptation for the 

 volcanic soils of the Western mountain region, where 

 it has been tried. On stiff clays it grows too slowly 

 to be entirely satisfactory. It ought not to be sown 

 on soils wet or swampy in character. 



Since sainfoin is perennial in its habit of growth, 

 and since, when once well set, it will retain its hold 

 upon the soil for several years, it is not in the strict 

 sense of the term a rotation plant. When it is 

 grown, however, it should be followed by crops 

 which require large quantities of nitrogen easily ac- 

 cessible, to enable them to complete their growth. 

 If this plant should ever be grown to any consider- 

 able extent in the mountain States, much that has 

 been said with reference to the place for alfalfa in 

 the rotation will also apply to sainfoin. (See 

 page 135.) 



It has been found more difificult to get a good 

 stand of sainfoin plants than of other varieties of 

 the clover family. This is owing to the low ger- 

 minating power frequently found in the seed. The 

 stand of plants is frequently found to be too thin 

 and scattering. Weeds, therefore, and sometimes 

 grasses are much, liable to come into the soil occu- 

 pied by the sainfoin and to crowd the same. Be- 

 cause of this it is specially important that sainfoin 

 shall be sown on a clean seed-bed. 



The seed is very frequently sown in the hull, and 

 usually in the early spring. But there would seem 

 to be no reasons why the seed should not be sown 



