September 1. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
425 
pected. Besides the hardy Hammersmith, a brown and 
green Gos might be sown, and the brown Dutch is also 
a good one to stand the winter; bnt the white Cabbaging 
kinds, so useful in a hot summer, are too delicate for the 
season. We need hardly add, that care must be taken 
to preserve the young seedlings from such mishaps as 
occasionally befal such crops at this season. 
We will presume that a quantity of Winter Spinach. 
had been sown about the middle of the month, and 
that winter Onions, and, it might be, a few Carrots, were 
sown about the same time; these must all be looked to, 
; in order that nothing be omitted calculated to ensure 
their vegetation or preservation afterwards. Another 
crop ol Spinach may also be put in, and the first crops 
thinned a little at the proper time. Keeping down weeds, 
and loosening the ground as may be wanted, and not 
forgetting that in such crops as have to stand all the 
winter, in a condition almost stationary, appearances 
are of much consequence, therefore, strive to make them 
uniformly as neat as possible, by having no jagged line, 
no blanks, or other bad places, and though it does not 
always happen thus, seedlings will come up with that 
degree of regularity so much wished for; yet, with a 
little care and forethought, much may be done that way, 
which during a long season will give forth tokens that 
good workmanship had been exercised. J. Robson. 
CULTIVATION OF TRIFOLIUM. 
Trifolium incarnatum, or Italian Clover, has now 
become one of the most valuable of all green crops 
usually cultivated for early spring food; and whether 
it is used for soiling cattle in their stalls, or for the 
folding of sheep in the open field, there is no sort of 
green crop which will afford so heavy a crop of the 
most nutritious food, as an acreable produce, to compare 
with Italian Clover. 
It is worthy of remark, also, that this crop furnishes 
one of the safest kinds of green food which can be 
obtained—the cattle and sheep, whilst feeding on it, 
being generally remarkably healthy, and much less 
subject to scouring, and other disorders incidental to 
the use of early spring crops in general. The cultivation 
is far more difficult than that of other sorts of Clover, or 
green crops in general, in proof of which, for some years 
after its first introduction, it got into disfavour with a 
large majority of farmers, and its cultivation was well-nigh 
abandoned. Some few, however, who knew how to cul¬ 
tivate the crop, were very successful, obtaining immense 
j crops, year after year :■ by them it was appreciated; and, 
from perseverance in its culture, it has at length become 
a favourite kind of early spring food, is justly appre¬ 
ciated, and not likely to recede in general estimation 
until some more valuable crop can be discovered to 
supersede it. 
The time of sowing is of more consequence in the 
growth of Trifolium than that of almost any crop under 
cultivation. In Belgium, and other continental states, 
it is sown as early as the last week in July, and the 
first week in August; and I have noticed the best crops 
produced in this country have been sown at the earliest 
period. It generally succeeds well when sown after 
Tares which have been fed on the land by sheep; but 
it will also do well sown after a crop of winter Oats, 
Rye, Wheat, or other grain, provided it be sown as soon 
as the crop of corn is removed. 
The land should not be ploughed previously to 
sowing; for although I have known good crops grown 
alter ploughing, it is quite the exception ; and the best 
rule in its cultivation will be found to be, to sow the 
seed upon the stubble, or bare ground, and then work 
the land with the drags, or harrows, sufficient to produce 
a good tilth, and bury the seed, leaving the land rolled. 
The only insect enemy from which the crop suffers 
i is a small white slug; and it is desirable to sow early in 
| order to avoid its depredations, which are always most 
destructive late in the season, when the sun has less 
power, and the nights become lengthened. 
The soil best adapted for the growth of Trifolium is 
a good sandy or clay loam, yet excellent crop3 may be 
grown upon almost all kinds of land in good condition. 
The quantity of seed sown per acre should never be 
less than 20 lbs., and, in case the time of sowing is 
delayed beyond the usual period, 25 lbs. or 30 lbs. per 
acre will be no more than sufficient. 
Trifolium seed being usually cheap, not more than 
4d. or 5d. per pound, although a large quantity of seed 
is necessary, yet the acreable cost is not great, being 
much less than the cost of seeding for other green crops. 
This crop, if fed upon the land, and managed in a 
proper manner, is certainly the best preparatory green 
crop with which I am acquainted. Swedish Turnips, 
as well as other varieties, generally take well after this 
crop; for, not only does it furnish a large bulk of food 
for the consumption of stock, which will return a pro¬ 
portionate quantity of manure, but the land will be 
found in an exceedingly mellow and kind state, from 
the effect of the gross and luxuriant foliage peculiar to 
the Trifolium plant. 
It must, however, be borne in mind, that this crop 
is very short-lived, the season for feeding or soiling 
being limited to about a month at the farthest; it is, 
therefore, desirable not to sow a greater number of 
acres than can be consumed within that period, the 
stalks being very wiry, and showing much woody fibre, 
when the seed begins to form. 
As a seed crop, although the produce sells generally 
at a low price, yet the large quantity obtained makes it 
a remunerative crop upon some soils. I have known 
Trifolium saved for seed upon some light, gravel soils, 
and taken instead of a Wheat crop, and the return has 
proved satisfactory, as compared with the crop of Wheat 
usually obtained upon such soils, and the crop has also 
been removed from the land in time for sowing Turnips. 
When the seed is sown at the first season, here re¬ 
commended, it becomes very gross towards the month 
of November; it does not, however, suffer from the 
effect of frost on this account, and it may sometimes be 
fed by sheep in the autumn, if not eaten off too close; 
yet it is not generally so forward in the spring by a j 
week or ten days when thus fed; but although it may 
be somewhat later in the spring from tho effect of feed¬ 
ing, it does not diminish the bulk of the crop ultimately. 
Sometimes this crop is mown for the purpose of con- 
