08 



On the Giant Sainfoin. 



West Halton, Lincolnshire. 

 Sir, — I beg to inform you that the Giant Sainfoin I purchased of you has 

 succeeded very well. 



It is planted upon a light red loamy soil : the seed was dibbled in, and 

 produced this year a good crop, which I mowed for the horses. 



It now looks remarkably well, and in my opinion is decidedly superior 

 to the old stock, and will doubtless, after awhile, be generally cultivated 



I am, Sir, yours, &c, 

 To Mr. Hine. Isaac Green. 



Newnham, Herts. 



Sir, — The Giant Sainfoin has been cultivated by me, upon a small scale, 

 from a short period after it had obtained so much notoriety. 



1 have invariably taken a crop of hay previous to a seed-crop, and have 

 obtained, in some instances, as much as 80s. per bushel for my seed. 



I have planted this species of Sainfoin upon chalk-loam, and also upon 

 heavy land, well drained, but give a decided preference to the latter, 

 where it has always grown the best and strongest. 



I have one piece now in plant, upon a clay-loam with a subsoil of 

 clay, which is very thrifty— this was drilled with a wheat-crop after 

 beans, — and another piece, partly upon clay-loam and partly upon chalk; 

 but that growing upon the former description of soil is decidedly the most 

 thrifty. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c, 

 To Mr. Hine. William Dogget. 



Litlington, Cambridgeshire. 



Sir, — I have proved the qualities of the Giant Sainfoin to be very superior 

 to the common stock, it having produced a crop of hay and a crop of seed 

 each year it has been in plant. 



The first piece I sowed was in 1840, which remained in plant till 1847, 

 when I ploughed it up and sowed the land with oats. 



The first crop of hay, independent of the seed-crop, is more than equal 

 to what the old stock would have produced. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c, 



Mr. Hine. Thomas Russell. 



Launceston, Dorset. 

 Sir, — In reply to your inquiries respecting the result of my experiment 

 with the Giant Sainfoin I purchased of you, I beg to state that I sowed a 

 •field of high, thin, chalk land with Sainfoin, in a barley-crop, planting the 

 Giant species in the middle of the field, to give it a fair trial beside the 

 common variety. 



During the ensuing winter it appeared more strong and healthy than 

 the old stock, and at the time of mowing for hay would have produced a 

 much greater quantity per acre ; but I allowed it to stand for seed, which 

 was cut on the 13th July, yielding about 16 bushels per acre. 



The field was then laid up till October, when the Giant was too bulky 

 for sheep-feed, producing in weight full three times as much as the 

 common sort, or about 25 cwt. per acre, which I used as soiling for my 

 oxen and colts. 



As an alternate crop, where broad clover fails, I consider it one of the 

 most profitable crops that can be grown upon high chalky soils, with 

 which the county of Dorset abounds. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c, 

 Mr. Hine. James Burgess. 



