34 Value of Drought-resisting Plants. 



its height, I, on June 17, 1895, carefully examined the 

 field, and especially the shingly beds on it. On these 

 the grasses and clovers were withered down to the 

 ground, and the clover leaves crumbled in the hand as 

 if they had been scorched by fire ; but the drought- 

 resisting plants were green and sappy, though in 

 various degrees. Chicory and bumet clearly stood 

 the drought best, then came kidney vetch, and then 

 yarrow. Of the lucerne plant I cannot speak so posi- 

 tively. Some were dried, up and yellowish, while others 

 looked fairly well. I was particularly struck with a 

 plant of bumet. It was touching one of cocksfoot 

 (which stands drought well as compared with other 

 grasses), which was withered yellowish-white down to 

 the ground, but the bumet was as green and fresh- 

 looking as a thriving strawberry leaf. And I may add 

 that, when on a visit to Oxfordshire the week following, 

 when a bad drought there was at its worst, I fouad 

 bumet, growing on high dry land, quite green and 

 fresh-looking, though surrounded with grass, bleached 

 as white as that on an Indian plain in the hot season.* 



But besides their drought-resisting qualities, two of 

 the plants recommended have valuable medicinal pro- 

 perties, for they keep sheep in healthier condition, and 

 both bumet and yarrow are of especial value in enabling 

 sheep to contend with diarrhoea, while the former is 

 valuable in cases of rot in sheep. Some years ago, 

 when there was much diarrhoea amongst our sheep, I 

 asked a very experienced farmer, who occupied land 

 contiguous to mine, to notice especially how far my 

 flocks compared with his, and I found that I had a much 

 smaller proportion of afflicted sheep and lambs. 



• During the summer of 1898 we had a severe drought, which showed 

 <;(ni8picuou8ly the advantage of using drought-resisting plants. I this year 

 observed, what had before escaped my notice, the great drought-resisting 

 power of the late-flowering red clover, which is particularly to be recom- 

 mended for light soils, and I am now inclined to place it, as a drought- 

 Tesisting plant, on a level with chicory, bumet, and kidney vetch. 



