CHAPTER III 

 LEGUMINOUS PASTURE PLANTS 



Lotus — Birdsfoot-Trefoil 



Common Birdsfoot-Trefoil {Lotus corniculatus, var. vulgaris). — Very 

 enduring perennial, of spreading, branching habit ; flowering in June ; and 

 ripening seed at the end of July. Though not very productive, Birdsfoot- 

 trefoil has been occasionally used to form " bottom-herbage." It withstands 

 intense drought and cold, thrives in almost all soils, and is the most pro- 

 ductive of leguminous plants in mountain pastures. Starting tolerably late in 

 spring, it attains to its maxi- 

 mum yield the second season ; 

 gives nutritive fodder ; and 

 produces only moderate after- 

 math, although vegetating 

 until late in autumn. The 

 colouring matter of the flowers 

 is disagreeable to stock, so 

 that the herbage should be 

 depastured or mown before 

 flowering, at which period it 

 is most nutritious. The dried 

 leaves easily fall off. At the 

 time of flowering, Sinclair ob- 

 tained 10,209 lbs. of green, or 

 3, 190 lbs. of dried, fodder from 

 an acre of clayey loam. Char- 

 lock {Sinapis arvensis) is a 

 common impurity, but it is 

 easily distinguished from the 

 true shining brown seed, which 

 is rare and highly priced in 

 commerce. Though useful in 

 Alpine pastures, Birdsfoot-trefoil is not so in our meadows, and the seed 

 should therefore not be added to any mixtures. 



BiRDSFOOT Trefoil. 

 (^Lotus conticulatus.) 



Medicago — Medick. 



Purple or Common Lucerne ; Alfalfa {Medicago sativd). — Perennial, 

 with very deeply penetrating tap-root and erect branches, which cannot form a 



