Agricultural Societies—Bokhara Clover, 
127 
Suggestions for Agricultural Socie¬ 
ties.—I propose making it conditional that no 
male animal shall be allowed to compete for a 
prize without producing a certificate that during 
the past year he has served such a fair propor¬ 
tion of females as may be fixed on. 
Also I would suggest that instead of a pre¬ 
mium being given commonly to the fattest ani¬ 
mal exhibited, a strict enquiry should be made 
as to the expense of bringing it into that fatted 
state, and decided by a preference given to that 
animal or breed which has acquired the best 
condition on the poorest cheapest fare. It can 
be of no value to the generality of our farmers 
who look for their subsistence to the profits de¬ 
rived from their farms by judicious economy, to 
know that the wealthy expend a sum in pre¬ 
paring their stock for shows, double its value 
when ready for exhibition; on the contrary, 
the really valuable gift to our nation would be 
those animals arriving at a state of perfection 
at the smallest expense, and such only ought to 
obtain premiums. 
But to be brief. With regard to prizes, I 
would place a new, earlier, more prolific, bet¬ 
ter kind of grain, capable of being grown on 
inferior soils, as first of importance, since on 
grain depends the lives of nine-tenths of our 
immense population; and let it not be forgotten 
that one bushel of increased produce in grain 
over every arable acre in Britain would add 
1,200,000 quarters annually to the present ave¬ 
rage of our corn crops. What object then de¬ 
serves really the greatest encouragement ? 
The second place should be assigned to new 
superior roots, grasses, or any kind of vegetable 
food. 
Superior ploughs, a perfect dibbler, or other 
implements, capable of performing the various 
operations necessary for tillage best, and at least 
expense, should decidedly in justice stand third 
—for their benefits would be felt speedily all 
over the country. 
As to deciding by the necessarily brief trials 
at our annual shows, the thing is impossible; 
but let our Society call on the many willing 
to devote their time and talents to this most im¬ 
portant object, and there will be no want of 
hundreds ready to form a committee perfectly 
competent to decide the question, at furthest 
within six months from their appointment. 
Discoveries of new and valuable economical 
manures, the destruction of the wire worm, tur¬ 
nip fly, grub, and remedies for the many other 
evils which afflict the best agriculturists, should 
come next, and not yield in importance to the 
all-absorbing premiums for animals which ought 
to stand fourth ; though I fear that old habits and 
prejudice will yet for a while get the better of 
reason, and give them a higher place than I 
hope I have succeeded in proving them to de¬ 
serve. 
The principal points of all the best and worst 
animals exhibited at our shows, should be writ¬ 
ten out by their judges, and for the information 
of young agriculturists who attend our shows to 
acquire instruction, placed as tickets on some 
conspicuous part of each animal.— Lon, Far . 
Mag. 
Bokhara Clover appears to be a variety of Meli- 
lotus Arborea, was given me by Mr. Loudon in the 
spring of 1839. It vegetated freely, and grew most 
luxuriantly up to the latter part of September, when 
it was four feet high; it was then mown, and the 
stalks manufactured into strong and durable hemp. 
Horses eat the plant with great avidity in its young 
state ; and to judge from the extraordinary growth 
the first year, it may be fed off three times, namely, 
the middle of June, July, and August. It stood the 
winter of 1839-40 well, proving itself to be a hardy 
plant. On the 28th of April, 1840, a small portion of 
it was cut, which was then 15 inches high ; on the 
28th of May again, height 16 inches ; and subsequent¬ 
ly on the 18th of June, height 17 inches ; in August 
15 inches, and in September 12 inches ; the first flow¬ 
ers appeared in June, and by the middle of July it was 
covered with its highly fragrant white blossom. A 
large portion had been left for seed, and towards the 
end of September the crop was harvested, each plant 
producing from 10 to 20,000 seeds, the stalks being 
from 12 to 13 feet in height. From the experiments I 
have made with Bokhara Clover, I should calculate 
that an acre would produce from 20 to 30 tons of 
green herbage. The first year it may be cut in June, 
July, and August, each cutting averaging three to five 
tons of green herbage. The second year in April, 
May, June, July, August and September, each month 
producing three to five tons of herbage. If intended 
to be saved for seed, it must not be cut more than 
three times, in April, May and June. The roots 
form a sort of manure ; and from two to three tons of 
hemp. Great advantage must be derived from its 
cultivation, as it forms a valuable green food for all 
sorts of cattle at an early period of the season ; and 
if cut when 15 or 20 inches high, an abundant crop 
would be produced, yielding hay superior in quality 
and quantity to the common herbage plants. To 
judge from what has hitherto been seen of the Bokhara 
Clover, it appears to be a valuable biennial plant, well 
adapted for growth in this country ; nor is it unlikely 
that it may be found to thrive on such soils as, by 
agriculturists, are termed clover-sick ; whereby its 
value would be greatly enhanced. Should it, as may 
reasonably be expected, in ordinal y seasons on good 
soils, be ready for cutting in the early part of April, 
farmers who have no grass, and but a short supply of 
hay, carrots, or turnips, would derive essential bene¬ 
fit from it. The Bokhara Clover being a tall, deep- 
rooted plant, with a strong stem well clothed with 
foliage and blossom, it keeps the ground in a more 
perfect state than most other plants of the artificial 
grass kind, and consequently will be more influential 
in ameliorating and preparing the soils for the recep¬ 
tion of wheat crops. It is a plant capable of being 
cultivated with success and advantage on almost all 
heavy and dry descriptions of land if in a tolerable 
state of fertility ; and it may be sown from March till 
June. The proportion of seed that is necessary must 
vary according to the quality of the land and the state 
ol preparation to which it has been brought; on the 
richer descriptions of soil that are free from weeds, 8' 
