62 



On the Giant Sainfoin. 



The wheat was much lodged, but not so long before harvest as to 

 destroy the plant ; and since then it has grown luxuriantly. The 

 plants thus obtained in four consecutive years are looking healthy 

 and strong ; and when the regularity thereof is regarded in con- 

 nection with the weight of the wheat crops in which they were 

 respectively produced,, to say the least of them, they go to prove that 

 by planting the sainfoin with wheat, instead of a spring crop, you 

 do away with the necessity of making a sacrifice in the crop, in 

 order to ensure a future crop of sainfoin ; as, in my opinion, a crop 

 of wheat will rarely be found lodged to such an extent as to en- 

 danger the plant growing therein. 



In further corroboration of my own experience, I may here be 

 allowed to remark, that many of my friends and neighbours have 

 adopted the system herein recommended, and at present I have 

 never known a failure in obtaining a plant, although one party 

 lost it when obtained in this way, through its having been eaten 

 with slugs in the month of May. 



The recommendation I have given for cultivating the Giant 

 species in accordance with the four-course system of cultivation, 

 has not been made without mature consideration ; and perhaps I 

 shall be excused if I proceed to state some two or three of the 

 most important reasons which have led to this conviction. I have 

 been more than forty years engaged in agricultural pursuits, 

 which have been attended with a measure of success, and I have 

 no hesitation in stating it as my opinion that the Giant species 

 will be more remunerative to the cultivator thereof in three years 

 than the common stock will in five ; this will of course give two 

 years more for the land to be appropriated to other purposes. 

 But, besides this, after three years in full plant, you are certain 

 of your crop of wheat, whereas after five years, to say the least, 

 it is hazardous. Again, by adopting this practice no derange- 

 ment is offered to the four-course system, while the land is ap- 

 propriated without any extra expense to the growth of crops for 

 three years, equal in value, upon an average, to any crops pro- 

 duced upon the farm, while they displace only one corn crop— 

 the barley ; all this is at less expense than would be incurred in the 

 ordinary way. For instance, the crop of wheat will for the most 

 part repay the additional expense in preparing the pea stubble 

 for the reception of the sainfoin. The turnip crop, upon an 

 average, will cost as much producing as it is worth, the barley 

 crop will not equal the value of the sainfoin in the second year, 

 nor will the layer displaced by the third crop be anything like 

 the value of the sainfoin crop. Besides, on many farms pecu- 

 liarly adapted to the growth of sainfoin, the occupiers depend 

 upon the clover for all the hay necessary for general consumption, 

 and mow a considerable proportion thereof for this purpose ; but, 



