686 ON PLANTS IN RELATION TO ANIMALS. 
“ T. hybridum (Hybrid or Alsike clover), although a native 
of Southern or Central Europe, the field-culture of this clover 
seems to have been primarily practised in Sweden, from 
which country it was first introduced into Britain, in 1834, 
by the late Mr. George Stephens, land drainer, Edinburgh, 
under the name of Alsike clover, for which that of hybrid 
clover is now by general consent substituted, not, however, 
from its being actually a hybridal production—a theory con¬ 
futed by its botanical characteristics—although to the mere 
casual observer its appearance is such as to favour the 
opinion of its being a cross or hybrid between the white 
clover (T. repens) and red clover ( T. pratense), for it has 
much resemblance to the former in the colour and size of its 
flower-heads, while it approximates more closely to the latter 
in its habit of growth, and the stems all rise from one crown, 
without spreading or rooting at their joints, as in the white 
clover. Its seeds are also much smaller than even those of 
T. repens , and they further differ from those of both the fore- 
named species in colour, which may be described as a dull 
olive green, while that of the flowers varies from white to 
pale red. T. hybridum is strictly perennial, the writer 
having it now growing as vigorous as ever on a field of well- 
grown medium soil, which was sown out with a mixture of 
clovers and grass seeds seven years since, and from which 
the so-termed f perennial red clover,’ or cow-grass, has 
entirely disappeared. Of late years various communications 
relative to T. hybridum have appeared in agricultural perio¬ 
dicals, in the shape of prize essays, &c., from which the fol¬ 
lowing particulars are Reducible, namely : 
“ 1. That it is more permanent in duration than T. pra¬ 
tense or any of its varieties. 
“ 2. That from having more fibrous or less deeply pene¬ 
trating roots, it is not so well fitted as the last-named species 
for withstanding extreme droughts. 
“ 3. That f clover-tired’ soils are by no means inimical to 
its growth. 
(< 4. That on lands which are not ‘ clover-tired’ it will not 
yield such a weight of produce as T. pratense. 
“ 5. That it invariably far surpasses T. repens in weight 
and bulk of produce. 
“ 6. That, compared with the last-named species, it is 
more keenly sought after and eaten by cattle, sheep, and 
horses ; hence it may be inferred to be superior to it in nu¬ 
tritive of feeding properties. 
(( Some years since the seeds of T. hybridum could not be 
procured under 5s. per pound, and Is. 6d. may be quoted as 
