268 



Trifolium Incarnatum. 



[AUG., 



successful growth that the seed should be sown on a firm and 

 solid bottom. More often than not, if failure results it is caused 

 by a lack of firmness, and. even on soils of a heavier nature, 

 when ploughing is resorted to, the growth is not quite so 

 successful as when the harrow only is employed. 



When sown in August as described, at the rate of 20 to 

 25 lb. of seed per acre, this crop grows rapidly, and becomes 

 well established and firmly rooted, so as readily to withstand the 

 severity of the winter, and will yield a large crop, to be cut 

 or fed off in the following May or June. The exact quantity of 

 seed to be sown is somewhat dependent on whether the con- 

 ditions for successful growth are favourable or otherwise. The 

 larger quantity would of necessity have to be used should the 

 conditions of climate or soil be adverse. If one may give a 

 time in which this useful plant may be sown, it might be 

 given as ranging from the first week in August until about 

 the loth of September, and, as a general rule, the earlier the 

 better. 



There are, at least, three varieties of Trifolium in commerce: 

 early, medium, and late, as well as the white-flowered variety. 

 They are all useful plants. In practice, it is usually desirable 

 to sow a certain breadth of each ; and, though sown at the 

 same time, these varieties come into use at different times in 

 the spring, thus producing a useful succession of food. When 

 the ordinary clovers are seriously affected by the drought of 

 summer, or weakened or killed by severe winter frosts, the bare 

 spots m.ay be successfully renovated by sowing a few pounds of 

 Trifolium. 



As a hay crop Trifolium is not successful, for it is usually more 

 stemmy than leafy; but if it is to be made into hay it should 

 be cut directly the flower-head appears, for, as the plant reaches 

 maturity, the stem gets tough and woody, and, in consequence, 

 serious danger to live stock consuming it may be apprehended. 



Some idea of the danger following the feeding of mature Tri- 

 folium may be gathered from observing closely some of the 

 micro-photographs illustrating this article. In Fig. 1 1 the 

 writer has depicted a single mature floret, five times life size. 

 The whole of the flower-head from which the floret was taken 

 was a little over three inches long, and its extreme hairiness can 



