274 Agriculture of Hertfordshire. 
abiding nuisance. By this and similar methods we have seen a 
farm entirely cleaned of this weed where it was once as " natural " 
as on other lands still summer-clad in the brightest yellow. 
Clover, Sainfoin, Sfc. — Red clover or cow-grass is not a safe 
" crop oftener than once in eight or ten years ; 12 lbs. of seed are 
mixed with 6 lbs. of trefoil and sown with the hand-barrow ; a 
seed-barrel fitted to a corn-drill saves 3 or 4 lbs. of seed per acre. 
Alsike is seldom grown alone ; for admixture it may be recom- 
mended as producing a heavy hay-crop. Stock do not much 
like it in the green state and it yields no after-crop ; but it will 
grow vigorously on " clover-sick " land, and if required to stand 
two years will yield as bulky a crop the second year as the first. 
The usual mixture of seeds is, of white clover 5 or 6 lbs., and 
of trefoil 15 lbs. per acre, mown for hay and afterwards fed by 
stock-sheep. Red clover is mown twice, if the second crop is 
worth it. The hay is made on the swath to preserve the leaf; 
it is turned 6 or 7 days after cutting, and cocking is avoided 
unless the weather is fickle. The average crop is 1^ loads for 
the first crop, and f or 1 load per acre the second crop. 
Sainfoin. — 4 bushels per acre of seed are drilled in spring- 
corn. 7 inches apart. It is ploughed up, after three years, with a 
deep furrow for oats, or occasionally for wheat. The objections 
to a longer layer are the increased cost of cleaning the land and 
the risk of wireworm in the next crop. Manure is seldom given. 
The common sainfoin is preferred for general cultivation ; the 
giant variety is the best to lay down for one year only. The 
first crop is heavy, though coarse for hay ; and the after-crop, 
stalky and inferior as feed or hay, is usually saved for seed, 
and yields an average of 2 quarters per acre. It is easy to 
thrash, and is worth about 40s. per quarter. The common sain- 
foin comes rather later for hay, and, as the first year's crop is not 
a full one, 8 lbs. of trefoil are sown with it to supply the defi- 
ciency. The after-crop, which is too late and short for hay, 
makes beautiful feed. The sheep should be removed by Michael- 
mas, to allow the plant to make some aftergrowth ; if close 
cropped, it would rot off at the crown in winter. Common sain- 
foin, if saved for seed, must be fed until the beginning of June 
like red clover, but here the hay is the most paying crop. 
Wheat is drilled 7 or 8 inches apart in the row. The 
lea is ploughed, when sufficiently wetted by rain, with a 5-inch 
furrow, and is sometimes pressed by the common " presser," or 
consolidated by using the Cambridge or Crosskill Roll. A 
stale furrow is preferred for the seed. The usual seeding 
on the chalk soils is large, 8 to 12 pecks per acre. Forty 
or fifty bushels of soot, costing 7c?. per bushel, is a very 
common top-dressing when no dung is used ; it is sown at a 
