18 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
then with a smart blow the square piece will be 
loosened. To get. it out of the water, take the 
board, fig. 1, which-is about five feet long, with 
handles on one end and a cleat fastened on the 
other. This is slipped under the block of ice, 
the cleat takes hold of it, and it is drawn out. 
A pair of light runners of strong hoop may be 
fixed underneath, and the board will make a 
sort of hand-sled, on which the piece of ice may 
be drawn up to and into the sled. Nothing 
else is necessary to perform this job as well as 
it can be d«ne with the most costly tools. 
Directions for packing away the ice will be 
found in the Agriculturist -for November, 1871. 
- ——-■ 
California Forage Plants. 
BY “ GREENWOOD,” LOS ANGELES, CAL. 
In the November Agriculturist is an article 
upon Lucern, and a desire is expressed to hear 
from California readers about it and kindred 
plants. Three kinds of clover (as commonly 
called) grow here, samples of each being in¬ 
closed—viz.: Alfalfa, or Chilian-Clover, Burr- 
Clover, and a third variety, name unknown. 
Alfalfa, or Lucern (Medicago sativa, fig. 1), is 
largely grown 
as a grazing 
and soiling 
crop, and for 
hay. When it 
is well estab¬ 
lished, its roots, 
which pene¬ 
trate twenty or 
thirty feet deep 
in the earth, 
will keep it 
alive and green 
throughdrouths 
that would kill 
almost any 
other plant. 
With water it 
will yield in¬ 
creased crops, 
which may be 
cut every few 
Fig. 1.— lucern. weeks all the 
year round ; in all, aggregating an astonishing 
amount of forage or hay, per acre, in a year. It 
is sometimes planted in orchards, as it succeeds 
well in partial shade, but it draws so largely upon 
the soil for food and water that it must greatly in¬ 
jure the trees, both ki growth and in the quantity 
and quality of their fruit. At this season it is 
brought into the city and sold, fresh, to stable¬ 
men and to those who'keep cows. I don’t know 
what Southern California would do without it. 
The second kind, Burr-Clover (Medicago den- 
ticulata , fig. 2), as commonly called, is a most 
valued forage plant, growing wild all over the 
plains and foot-hills, and affoiding the most nu¬ 
tritious and acceptable pasturage to all kinds of 
stock. It grows in such profusion that the burrs 
containing the seeds remain upon the ground 
after the leaves and stalks of the plant have en¬ 
tirely disappeared, and afford a supply of dry, 
yet, as it were, concentrated fodder, for the dry 
months, when no green pasturage is to be had. 
These burrs lie in vas£ quantities in the hollows 
of the ground where the winds have blown them. 
Even now, after two dry summers, the crop of 
burrs of three years ago is plentiful in places. 
In habit Burr-Clover is low, almost or quite 
creeping; the stems running two or three feet 
upon the ground, forming with the leaves a 
dense, thick mat of verdure, that, while it gives 
the best of pasturage, would be difficult to 
gather for hay. It is tenacious of life, and will 
grow notwithstanding the crowding of weeds, 
Fig. 2.— BURR-CLOVER. 
trampling underfoot, etc., as will White-Clover. 
It roots very strongly in the ground, like Bed- 
Clover, and will bear over-close feeding better 
than Alfalfa. In some places its tenacity of 
life and disregard of ill-usage may entitle it to 
the name of “ weed,” but if so, its value and use¬ 
fulness will give it grace to endure the epithet. 
The third plant (fig. 8) is not so plentiful as 
Burr-Clover; has a more upright habit, like 
Alfalfa or Red-Clover; is not tap-rooted, and is 
not so hardy against weeds, or drouth, or ne¬ 
glect ; does not afford quite so much or so succu¬ 
lent fodder as Alfalfa, yet is more nutritious, and 
is eagerly eaten by all kinds of stock, either 
green or cured into hay. Alfalfa seed is sold at 
15 cents per pound. Burr-Clover seed is not in 
market, as, growing wild all over the country, 
it is never cultivated, but the seed could be had 
for the cost of gathering the burrs and thrashing. 
The third variety could only be had in small 
quantities and by special effort. I see no reason 
why Burr-Clover could not be raised at the East 
for soiling or for hay as readily as Red-Clover ; 
the only difficulty would be in gathering it, on 
account of its creeping habit. It would make a 
most valuable fall pasturage. 
To sum up: for hay or green fodder, Alfalfa ; 
for dry pasturage, where rainless months must 
be withstood, Alfalfa; for moist pasturage, for 
grazing only, Burr-Clover; for trial, the third 
variety. Value of crop : for weight, or succu¬ 
lence, Alfalfa ; for nutriment in a given weight, 
either of the others. 
[The third plant spoken of by our correspond¬ 
ent, and of which he sent a specimen, is Melilo- 
tus parriflorus , the Small-flowered Melilot. Fig¬ 
ure 8 gives the upper part of a stem of the 
natural size; the flowers are yellow, and the 
plant in drying, like other Melilots, exhales a 
powerful vauillalikc odor. We have seen it 
growing abundantly along the banks of streams 
in Northern Mexico, where our animals, having 
an abundance of grass, did not seem to be very 
fond of the Melilot.— Rd.] 
Plymouth Rock Fowls. 
This is one of the few cases of crosses which 
when bred pure have given rise to a valuable 
breed. The cases are so rare where crossing is 
successful in forming a breed, that the doubt 
has been often expressed that the Plymouth 
Rocks are a cross. Still the evidence of breed¬ 
ers and the appearance of the fowls indicate 
that this is the case. They are said to have 
a mingling of the blood of Cochins, Dorkings, 
and Malays, in proportion of one lialf of the 
first to one fourth of each of the others. 
The plumage of the Plymouth Rocks is very 
similar to that of the well-known Dominiques, 
and by a little care in selection it may be 
bred identical with it. In the most beautiful 
specimens, the feathers have a dark blue ground 
color, shaded with cross-bands of dark slaty 
blue, this coloring prevailing all over the bodies 
of both cocks and hens. 
Single combs are preferred, and the only ones 
admitted according to the “ standard of excel¬ 
lence.” They should be of only medium size 
in cocks, and small in hens. Double or rose- 
combs often occur, but birds having them are 
“disqualified” at exhibitions. 
The cock has a noble carriage, with a tail 
large and full, carried well up. The legs should 
be clear yellow, and free from feathers, which 
are also a disqualification. The liens are very 
hardy, good winter layers, good sitters and 
mothers. The eggs are of a pale buff color, 
and of good size. 
The chicks are hardy, mature early, and at¬ 
tain a good weight in the autumn. Adult 
fowls should weigh ten pounds for cocks and 
seven for hens—though this is above the aver¬ 
age. The flesh is decidedly superior to that of 
any of the Asiatic breeds, which quality is sup¬ 
posed to come from the Dorking blood. 
The breed originated in Eastern Massachu¬ 
setts, and is hardly known outside of New Eng¬ 
land. It can not be regarded as fixed in all its 
characteristics, but in good hands is bred to a 
high degree of symmetry, size, beauty, and use¬ 
fulness. The pair shown on page 13 belong 
to C. C. Corbett, Norwich, Ct. 
