148 THE GKASSES OP TENNESSEE. 



Occasionally it is attacked by an insect, when it begins 

 to turn yellow, then it should at once be cut, as it will 

 quickly dry up otherwise. Owing to the scarcity of seed, 

 and the small amount cultivated, it is quite expensive, but 

 the farmer can test it on a small quantity of land, and at 

 the same time secure seed for future sowing. The first year 

 it is apt to be troubled by the presence of weeds, but these 

 can be easily exterminated if the precaution is observed to 

 run the mower over it before the weeds go to seed. After- 

 wards no fears need be entertained on that subject. 



This plant is well adapted to the use of persons living in 

 small towns or villages,, who have a small lot they wish to 

 devote to hay for a single hoise or cow. No other kind of 

 clover or grass will equal it in quantity, while the quality 

 is as good as the best. 



On the whole, the farmers cannot do better than adopt 

 the cultivation of this grass. It has proved, with all who 

 have tested it, worthy of all the extravagant encomiums 

 bestowed upon it. 



An analysis shows the hay to contain : 



Flesh formers 14.4 



Heating properties 22.5 



Crude fibre 40.0 



Fat 2.5 



Ash 6.4 



It will be seen that in flesh-forming constituents it sur- 

 passes red clover by one per cent. 



SAINFOIN OR ESPARSETTE— (Onobrychis saiiva). 



From two French words, meaning sacred grass. It is a perennial, 

 leguminous plant, partaking more the character and appearance of the 

 pea than clover. It has stems from two to three feet long, straggling, 

 tapering, smooth ; leaves in pairs of pointed, oblong leaflets, slightly 

 hairy on the under side ; flower stalks higher than the leaves, ending in 

 a spike of crimson or variegated flowers, succeeded by flat, hard pods, 

 toothed on the edges, and prickly on the sides; roots perennial, hard 

 and woody. Flowers in July. 



