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imIi 



LEGUMilNOUS PASTURE PLANTS 



25 



fodder plants for dry or barren chalk lands. Lawson records an instance of it 

 having lasted 100 years, but from 4 to 7 seasons is its average profitable limit ; 

 and in order to avoid " Sainfoin sickness " in the soil, it must only recur after 

 rest-intervals equal to the length of the Sainfoin ley. It withstands intense 

 drought, though the young plants are affected by cold, and the crop is injured 

 by continued cold wet weather. Luxuriating in warm, deep, dry calcareous 

 land, it succeeds well in all soils possessing loose, permeable and dry sub- 

 soils, especially in those containing a proportion of lime. Its extensive and 

 deep root-system draws much of its food from the subsoil, and exercises an 

 important ameliorating influence on the surface layers by its decay. Attaining 

 to its maximum produce 

 only the third season, it gives 

 yearly one certain cutting of 

 wholesome and very nutritive 

 hay, specially suitable for 

 horses, and but little after- 

 math. Grazing or frequent 

 cutting destroys the plants. 

 The crop should be cut when 

 in full flower ; and as the 

 leaves are liable to break off, 

 the hay must be dried with 

 as little turning as possible. 

 The following yields of hay 

 per acre have been re- 

 corded : — Sinclair, 2 , 1 2 7 lbs. ; 

 Young, 2,816 to 4,784 lbs. ; 

 Sprengel, 3,520 to 5, 280 lbs. ; 

 Mollinger, an average of 

 3,256 lbs. ; Langethal, 2,640 

 to 5,280 lbs.; Guido Krafft, 

 1,760 to 3,800 lbs. ; Count 

 Arnheim, 6,160 lbs. ; Werner, 

 2,640 to 3,520 lbs. ; and 

 Hani, 4,270 to 4,900 lbs. 

 As the cutting of mature 

 plants seriously injures them, 

 seed should be saved from 

 the old leys that will soon be 

 broken up : and the crop 

 must be taken when the pods 



are of a bright brown colour. The produce ought not to be put into cock, 

 as the seeds lose their germinating power if they become heated. Burnet 

 {Poterium sanguisorba), Corn crowfoot (Ranunculus arvensis) and the Brome- 

 grass seeds are common impurities. Good commercial seed has about 98 

 per cent, of purity and 85 per cent, of germination, some 146 lbs. unshelled, 

 or 73 lbs. shelled, being required per acre. Sainfoin is usually drilled pure an 

 inch deep in spring, either with or without a cereal ; but it may be included 

 in all mixtures of seeds for permanent or temporary grass on soils specially 

 suited to it. 



Large-Seeded Sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa, var. bifcra). — This conti- 

 nental variety flowers earlier and grows more luxuriantly than Common 

 sainfoin. It usually gives 2 crops yearly on good soils ; and is therefore 



Sainfoin. 

 (Onobrychis sativa.) 



