294 
On Clover Allies as Fodder Plants. 
maintained in vigour, tlie best method to obtain profit by its 
growth is by depasturing or early cutting. 
The seed of Saintfoin is sold in two forms ; — namely, ivhole, 
that is each seed covered by its short somewhat triangular- 
wrinkled legume ; and milled, in w^hich case the legume or husk 
is removed, and the kidney-shaped pea-like seed, about twice 
the size of a clover seed, is naked. Farmers usually employ 
the unmilled seed as it is cheaper, but, unless very carefully 
chosen, it may in the end turn out to be exceedingly dear, for 
the seeds of the Poterium Sangnisorha (or False Burnet) so much 
resemble it, in their rough outside and light brown hue, that, 
although altogether differing in shape, being oblong and four 
angled, they are often not detected. Now the sheep which 
so highly relish Saintfoin will not eat Burnet unless starved down 
to it, besides its growth is so much taller and coarser than Saint- 
foin, with a quantity of root-leaves stretching all around upon the 
surface of the soil, that it takes up a deal of space to the hind- 
rance of the more nutritious plant, and, consequently, is a highly 
mischievous weed. Bad, however, as its presence is, there can 
be no doubt but that it is increasing very rapidly wherever 
Saintfoin is cultivated. Some notion of the amount of weeds to 
be found in Saintfoin may be gathered from the following cases : — 
Estimate of a Crop of Saintfoin in Berhshire — third year of groioth. 
Per Cent. 
Saintfoin 10 
False Bumet 50 
Other weeds 40 
100 
Estimate of a Crop of Saintfoin at Cirencester — third year. 
Per Cent. 
Saintfoin 5 
False Burnet , .. 25 
Bromus mollis, with occasional commutatus and racemosus) 
varieties J 
Bromus sterilis 35 
Other weeds 15 
100 
My own crop of the second year, at Bradford Abbas, has a 
fair sprinkling of Bromus secalinus, a grass by no means common 
in the district, and it may therefore be concluded that the seed 
was brought in with that of the Saintfoin. This crop was grown 
as an experiment on the sandy beds of the inferior oolite, and 
yielded a large quantity of hay the first cut, but it is far less 
permanent here than in more calcareous soils, and is now, in 
its third year, nearly exhausted. 
