1. _Trifolium pratense_—Meadow or broad-leaved Clover,—in its wild state, is too well known to need any lengthened description in order to its being understood. A careful examination of field specimens, however, 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 more or less ovate, whilst those of another may be broad and almost obcordate. 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 lesser 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 _Trifolium pratense perenne_, yet they run so much the one into the other, that it is oftentimes exceedingly difficult to distinguish them. In order that the reader may see the differences and agreements of the three sorts,—1, _Trifolium pratense_ (of the meadow); 2, _Trifolium pratense_ (the arable plant); and 3, _Trifolium pratense perenne_ (also of the arable),—we give their characters in parallel columns, on p. 115. CHARACTERS OF CLOVERS.