Agricultural 
value. 
Geographical 
distribution. 
Habitat. 
Limits of 
altitude. 
Climate. 
Soil. 
Substances 
removed from 
the soil. 
Manure. 
142 
At the present time, kidney vetch is a very valuable fodder plant on the poor soils of 
Northern Germany where red and white clover cannot be grown, and where the yellow 
lupine and bird’s foot trefoil (Ornithopus sativus) are uncertain and give small produce. It 
is a plant contented with very little, and as the land does not readily tire of it, the crop 
can recur after very short intervals. The yield is certain, although not very large; failure 
is rare, because the plant is not at all sensitive to climatic influences, In stall - feeding 
during summer, it fills up the gap between the first and second crop of red clover. It can 
either be mown, or depastured. When mown, it is generally used only for a single year, 
but if mixed with other plants, it lasts longer. In a pasture, its duration is from three 
to four years. Since it is very abundant, thrives well on the Alps, and is readily eaten,’ 
it could. with advantage, be sown on mountains. 
Occurrence, climate, soil, manure. Kidney vetch is indigenous — to the whole of Europe 
except the largest part of Lapland, Finland and Northern Russia; to Africa, in Algeria, the Atlas 
mountains, and Abyssinia; to Asia, in Caucasus, Georgia, and the greater part of Asia Minor. It does 
not occur in America. 
It grows in a wild state in meadows and pastures, by roadsides, in woods, on mountains, and, in 
general, wherever there is a sunny exposure and dry ground, especially if the subsoil is marly or cal- 
careous. Its abundance indicates a calcareous soil. 
Both varieties ascend almost to the snow-line; for example, at Albula 7800 ft., and at Luner 
See, 6800 ft. : 
Kidney vetch is as little sensitive to the cold of winter as to the drought of summer. 
It is seldom uprooted by frost, even when growing in exposed situations. Clover species 
do not allow autumn sowing, but kidney vetch is usually sown then and gets on quite 
well during the winter. It withstands drought as well as sheep’s fescue (which see). 
On excessively dry ground, the plant becomes very woolly. 
Soils which are too light for red clover are suitable for kidney vetch. On a poor 
sand, which cannot bear white clover, it thrives if marl and manure are added. It can, 
in general, be cultivated on all warm soils — marly, loamy, sandy. or calcareous — if 
they are manured, and of proper depth. Its cultivation is advisable only in cases where 
red and white clover fail. On cold wet soils and moors it does not thrive. 
According to Wolff, 1000 Ibs. of hay remove from the soil: 
Nitrogen. . . . 22.8 Ibs. Magnesia . . . 2.2 Ibs. 
Phosphoric acid . 44 ,, Liie. ge 8. fh area eee, 
Prattesiagats ce oh Rte ni alec ae SHpnupe acid = a2 | Aik 
Doda gas ee pe btog’ F SICH ee cae dino 
According to analyses made at the Swiss station, 1000 Ibs. of hay remove from the soil: Nitrogen 
20.5 Ibs. mineral matter, 90.2 lbs. composed of: — 
Phosphoric acid . 9.2 °/o Limi sy a at SRE Yo 
Potash. < .. .) 4 Sa sie Sulphuric acid .. 2.8 °/o 
SOY Ea alee reer a tN: Be a SHIGE 5) Aa ee ee Lace 
Magnesia. 2. -. ‘d0eh 
From the above, this plant evidently requires a great deal of lime. It exacts little 
from the soil, but some preparation is necessary. It is not content with a poor soil con- 
taining no manure, although its strong and deep root-system allows it to take no incon- 
siderable portion of its nutriment from the subsoil. Direct manuring is usually not advis- 
able, the plant should rather follow other crops which have been manured; in that case, 
