Science and Practice in Farm CultivationBuckman, James
Science
Science and Practice in Farm Cultivation
Buckman, James
Agriculture
The following remarks upon these three clovers are from a paper by the
author in the _Bath and West of England Agricultural Journal_, vol. x.,
part 2:—
1. _Trifolium pratense_—Meadow or Broad-leaved Clover—in its wild
state is too well known to need any lengthened description. A
careful examination of field specimens will show that even in the
wild state this plant is liable to run into numberless variations;
thus, we may have the leaflets of one plant broad and almost
obcordate at the extremity, whilst others will be more or less
ovate and lancet-shaped. In some we may see dense heads of purple
flowers, varying in shade until almost white, whilst less dense
heads of flowers and general variations in height, size, and
luxuriance of the whole plant, are all circumstances in the natural
history of this species in the wild state, which will prepare us
duly to understand the nature of the many forms of the plant which
are found in cultivation. Of these we have, besides others,
English, French, American, and Dutch sorts, which differ in such
minor details as a greater or less hairiness, or variations in the
colour and size of the flowers, leaves, _&c._ The most important
point connected with the broad-leaved clover is its permanency;
some sorts scarcely maintaining a plant for two years, whilst
others are said to be more or less perennial. This, however, is a
matter which we conceive depends more upon the soil and the kind
of cultivation than upon the sort; for although all seedsmen supply
two sorts, namely, _Trifolium pratense_ and _T. pratense perenne_,
yet they run so much the one into the other, that it is oftentimes
exceedingly difficult to distinguish them. If, therefore, a farmer
wants a good strain of broad clover, he should purchase his seed
from seedsmen possessing judgment and character; for experience has
taught us that a seed which may be all that is required in one
district may result in next to a failure in another. Thus,
clover-seed from the warmer parts of England does not succeed well
when sown in cold, exposed positions; but that from the latter is
improved on transmission to the former, whilst good changes are
effected by the occasional use of foreign seed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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