Kidney Vetch, or Yellow Sand Clover (Anthyllis
vulneraria)—This is a very valuable plant, and of
supreme importance in a severe drought. In 1899 there
was a very severe drought, and yet we cut 2 tons
of hay per acre from the Big Countridge field, which,
from a distance of many miles, looked like a veritable
oasis in a desert of scorched hills. For the crop we
were mainly indebted to the kidney vetch, which, after
cutting, was almost entirely killed, but it had saved the
situation, and its immense rootage, covered with
nitrogen-collecting nodules, would no doubt tell favour-
ably on the grass and subsequent crops. It is generally
supposed that the kidney vetch never stands cutting,
but Hayhope Shank field was hayed in 1897, and a small
portion of the field, which was again hayed in 1900,
showed a fair proportion of the plant. The Big Haugh
field was sown in 1893; 2 lbs. chicory, 3 lbs. burnet, and
2 Ibs. kidney vetch were included in the mixture. The
field was hayed the first year, and w wes ploughed for
turnips end of 1900. A strip was left unploughed along
the fence side on the margin of the Bowmont, and in
1901 (eight years after sowing) this showed plenty of
chicory, burnet, and kidney vetch. This seems to show
that under certain conditions the durability of the kidney
vetch is greater than is sometimes supposed.*

Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)—The value of this
plant for permanent pastures has been well known for


* From inquiries I have made the kidney vetch does not seem to thrive
on rich soils. Such is the opinion of an experienced tenant here, and
also of the agent of my King’s County property in Ireland.
108 Yarrow.
