Science and Practice in Farm Cultivation Part 15

_Trifolium pratense._ _Trifolium medium._ _Trifolium pratense perenne._

At all events, if this plant was ever distinct in cultivation, it has merged into broad clover forms; so that, if we are to possess it as a separate plant, it must again be grown from wild seed, and then, if it is to be kept pure, it must not be cultivated on clays or limestone, or, if our view be correct, it will soon lose its true distinctive characters.

3. _Trifolium incarnatum_-Annual Carnation or Crimson Clover-is a large species with oblong heads of flowers of a fine carnation colour, hence its common name of "Carnation Clover." It is a native of Southern Europe, and is said to have been found wild at the Lizard, in Cornwall.

As a cultivated plant, it has not long been introduced into England, where it has been much grown in the southern counties, as there it can be sown soon enough on the wheat stubbles with only just a simple harrowing-in, when it has time to make a plant sufficiently strong to resist winter; this soon makes growth in the spring, giving an early feed, or it may be mown; in either case it is off the land sufficiently early to allow of a late sowing of turnips: so that, where the climate will allow of it, we may s.n.a.t.c.h an intermediate crop by means of the carnation clover. It yields a large crop, but its feeding qualities, according to Dr. Voelcker, are somewhat inferior to those of the broad-leaved clover. It should be noted that varieties having white flowers are in the market, and of both red and white there are earlier and later sorts which may be useful for succession.

4. _Trifolium hybridum_-Alsike Clover-has, perhaps, got its specific name from possessing appearances and qualities intermediate between the broad-leaf and the Dutch clovers. This species has been introduced from Sweden, and its growth, duration, and feeding qualities certainly ent.i.tle it to rank high, and more especially for growth on some of the stronger soils. In our experience we have not found it to possess such eminent perennial habits as have been claimed for it. It thins very much after the second year, and almost disappears in three years, unless it be renovated by being allowed to seed, when the new plants by no means attain to the vigour of their parents.

5. _Trifolium fragiferum_-Strawberry-headed Clover-has been named from the strawberry-like form which its head, of enlarged coloured calyxes, a.s.sumes after flowering; its flowers are pinkish, but otherwise of much the same size and form as those of the Dutch clover, which latter it again approaches in its creeping habit and form of its foliage. It is, however, here mentioned only to point out the difference of its habits and indications when compared with the Dutch or white clover. The strawberry trefoil is a native of cold wet pastures, such as bear the name of "hungry clays;" when present in quant.i.ty it is not to be confounded with Dutch clover, which would indicate a sound fertile soil.

6. _Trifolium repens_-White Dutch Clover-is a plant of very general cultivation, both at home and in the States, and in both of which quarters of the globe it maintains its character with great constancy.

Dutch clover is a valuable pasture plant either in meadows or in seeds.

In the former it is much increased by the addition of nitrates, soot, &c., with guano or superphosphate. As a plant, in seed mixtures, it is usually sown with other trifoliate plants and rye gra.s.ses, but if the soil be very light the Dutch clover may be increased or wholly used.

7. _Trifolium filiforme_-Small Yellow Clover-is one of the least of our small yellow-flowered division. It is a common native species occurring on the waysides, and has been brought into cultivation to only a limited extent, under the impression that its small herbage is suitable as a first bite for young stock, and hence the term "suckling clover" has been applied to it. It is of little value, and does not seem capable of being greatly improved. This species is often mistaken for the following, even by pretended botanists, but its lax head of smaller flowers will well distinguish it.

8. _Trifolium proc.u.mbens_ is called by the botanist "Hop Trefoil," from the fact that its dried head of persistent flowers[6] exactly resembles small bunches of hop _strobiles_ (fruiting heads). The foliage is much like that of _Medicago lupulina_, nonsuch, or black med.i.c.k, which is the "hop" of the farmer; but the whole plant of the true hop trefoil dries up so quickly under the suns.h.i.+ne, and is withal so wanting in succulency and quality, that it cannot be compared with _M. lupulina_ as a fodder plant, and hence it is but little cultivated in the present day.

[6] Flowers are so called that remain enveloping the seed while it ripens, which they do in all the clovers.

There are other clovers which have been recommended for cultivation, but they are mostly foreign, and do not appear to possess those qualities which should lead us to prefer them before those in common use. There are, too, several additional wild clovers, but they possess no agricultural interest, unless, perhaps, as indicators of soil. The _Trifolium pratense_ (Hare's-foot Trefoil) is a pretty, wild species, native to light sandy soils, the seed of which is sold for growing "bedding plants."

CHAPTER XIX.

ON THE VARIETIES OF RED CLOVERS.

The _Trifolium pratense_ of botanical authors is remarkable for the great number of varieties it a.s.sumes, even in its wild growth; but these are exceeded in the number of cultivated forms: thus in any rich meadow we may make out several sorts which may be expected to be more or less permanent, whilst the market samples of seed will offer us several varieties for the different countries of America, England, France, Holland, Germany, &c.

The following are some of the more prominent of our native wild varieties:-

1. _Trifolium pratense_-Common Red Clover.-Head of pink; flowers, somewhat compact; leaves more or less broad; plant smooth[7] in proportion to its size, the smaller wild specimens being usually very hairy; stem more or less purple.

[7] In this, as well as the generality of forms, the smoother and larger growth indicates cultivation, manuring will sometimes make the difference.

2. _Trifolium pratense_, var. _pallidum_-Pale-flowered Clover.-Head of very light pink; flowers large, full, and more rotund than 1, and almost double in size and in the number of its flowers; whole plant more or less hairy; stem green.

3. _Trifolium pratense_, var. _alb.u.m_-White Clover.-Flowers white; herbage a very light green; in other respects much the same as the last.

4. _Trifolium pratense perenne_-Perennial Red Clover.-Flowers less compact than the common clover, whole plant having stems inclining to dark purple; leaves narrower.

5. _Trifolium pratense perenne_, sub-var. _pallidum_-Pale Perennial Clover.-A larger plant than the parent form, and less hairy.

6. _Trifolium pratense perenne_, sub-var. _alb.u.m_-White Perennial Clover.-Not common, but still, like 3, an albino form, and is, perhaps, more delicate in const.i.tution than the coloured sorts.

Now, it appears to us that the descendants of the two types, _Trifolium pratense_ and _T. medium_ (see Plate) form the basis of the red or broad-leaved clover on the one hand, and the perennial or cow-gra.s.s clover on the other; whilst the market varieties have, perhaps, been modified by climate, soil, and probably hybridization with other sorts.

It may, indeed, be that, after all, the plants described in chapter XVII. as two distinct species are only varieties, for though the common form of _T. pratense_ grows everywhere on mixed soils, the more sandy positions, as the sandstones connected with the coal in South Wales, offer a greater abundance of the _T. medium_; and, from experiments conducted with seed of this latter obtained from near Swansea, Glamorgan, and sown on forest marble clay of the Cotteswolds, we certainly obtained plants differing very much from the typical form of _T. medium_, and a.s.suming the usual broad-leaved clover variations.

Here, then, is opened up a curious subject for inquiry, which the history of the seed trade as it relates to clover-seed may tend in some measure to elucidate. Some few years ago _T. pratense_ and _T. medium_ were advertised as on sale by most seedsmen; in fact, the latter was the name by which what is now called cow-gra.s.s clover was known. Now, however, it is doubtful if any seedsman would pretend to send out the _T. medium_; but the label _T. pratense perenne_ has been subst.i.tuted for it.

Sinclair's figure of "Trifolium medium, marl-clover, cow-gra.s.s," in the "Hortus Gramineus Woburnensis," facing page 141, is scarcely a true form of the plant, as its more or less emarginate leaflets incline to the form of _T. pratense_; and yet, at the time this author wrote, even this was doubtful. _T. medium_ was difficult to obtain, as he says, "All the seeds and plants I have had for this (except that from Messrs. Gibbs & Co., which proved to be the present plant-_T. medium_ of Sinclair) have turned out only two-year lived plants, or never exceeding three, though cultivated on various soils." We have repeatedly written for seed, and ten years ago were always supplied with samples so labelled; but in no case did we get it. Latterly seedsmen honestly confess that they have not the seed, but can send _T. pratense perenne_.

Now, that this latter is merely a variety of the broad-leaved clover there can be but little doubt; still the fact that it is usually more perennial in its habit is of importance. We may easily understand why it should be so, if we consider that the common broad-leaved clover in its cultivation is so much earlier than the cow-gra.s.s form, so that this enables two cuttings of the former to be made in one season, two crops of hay being taken very commonly indeed; and as the plant gets well in flower before it is cut the first time, and seed is saved from the second crop, a more exhaustive plan for the crop itself or its future perennial powers could hardly be brought about. The cow-gra.s.s clover, however, is a fortnight and more later, which renders it difficult to cut two crops; and so its method of growth is not so exhaustive. We know that the common wild clover is said to last only two years, but with constant depasturing we see no reason why the same roots should not send up herbage for five or even ten years.

However theoretical such inquiries may be deemed, yet it must be confessed that they are of great practical importance; for, if a plant has a tendency to run into varieties, it makes it daily more difficult to get its seed true to sort; and if we are liable to have a sample, part of which may be less hardy or part more tardy in its development, it follows that much of it may never arrive at maturity, whilst if it does, as the crop will be uneven, it can never be reckoned upon for so good a yield.

Much of the variable nature of the sorts which we observe in a clover-field may be the result of the mixing of seeds from different and distant localities: if so, it is much to be regretted. But this only tends to show us how important it is that seed should be grown with care, to which end, as regards clover-seed, we sadly want some well-conducted experiments on different varieties, especially of a wild native plant, with a view to obtain a sample with good, permanent, and even qualities. In fact, the question of true of sort is altogether different from that of purity of sample; but that very serious mischief arises from the want of the latter will be discussed in another chapter.

CHAPTER XX.

ON THE CLOVER ALLIES.

Besides the clovers proper, there are many native plants of the same natural order that have been found useful as fodder: these it is now proposed to comment upon, premising that as we have had them all under cultivation, we are enabled to discuss their merits from a practical point of view.

Of these, the following is a list of the genera:-

I. ULEX.-A spinous shrub.

II. ANTHYLLIS.-Flowers in a dense head, with white expanded calyces.

III. LOTUS.-Flowers in lax heads; pod straight, many-seeded.

IV. MEDICAGO.-Flowers various; pod spirally twisted.

V. MELILOTUS.-Flowers in spikes, drooping to one side; pod straight, few-seeded.

VI. On.o.bRYCHIS.-Flowers in spikes, drooping; pod wrinkled, one-seeded.

VII. VICIA.-Flowers single or spicate in the axils of the leaves; pod straight, many-seeded.

VIII. LATHYRUS.-Flowers one or many on long footstalks.

I. ULEX-_Furze_.

A genus of shrubby, spinous, pea-flowered plants, by far too common on our sandy heaths and wild hilly places, with varieties occupying wet commons.

We possess, according to authors, some two or three native species; but we incline to the belief that they are only varieties of the common _U.

Europaeus_, of which these seem to be large and dwarf forms. This plant, under the name of furze or gorse, has been from time to time highly extolled as a fodder plant, and machines have been invented for bruising its complicated spines; but although it will doubtless grow where scarcely anything else can be got to succeed, yet, taking into consideration the expense attendant upon its growth and utilization, and the low feeding powers which it possesses, we cannot at all agree in recommending its general use. It is, however, but right here to say that articles are from time to time inserted in such journals as the _Agricultural Gazette_, the authors of which advocate the growth of furze as an agricultural plant, and highly extol its feeding qualities; still, as our own experience would lead us to conclude that as even young stock scarcely hold their own upon this plant, we cannot recommend it as possessing very valuable properties.