108 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



Auotlier similar luixture on a loam soil in Xo. (5 produccMl on the 

 same date 4,000 pounds of cured hay per acre. 



These results recommend to us a new ]e«j;ume which can be sown late 

 in the fall after one has had time to judge the prospects of his next 

 season's clover cro]), and give him a cro]! of hay the next season. 



The l)ei)arlment has distributed a number of samples of seed of this 

 legume and hopes to receive reports from them this season. 



Sand Lucerne, medicago media. — Complete notes to date in regard to 

 this remarkable legume were given in Bulletin 181, i)ublished in April, 

 1000. Since that bulletin was published the following in connection 

 with the origin of sand lucerne has been received from The Wernich 

 Seed Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who imported the seed used in our 

 experiments. 



"Botanically. it is known as medicago falcata-sativa or medicago 

 media. Dr. Edwin Birnbaum, Director of the Agricultural College, at 

 Liegnitz, Germany, in his book on Meadows, Pastures and Fodder Plants 

 describes it as a bastard, cultivated in many localities of Europe as a 

 clover for sandy soils. AVill do well on any other soil. In growth it is 

 about half way between lucerne and Swedish alfalfa (medicago falcata). 

 Its peculiarity is that it will vary sometimes in the bloom, the flowers 

 sometimes being yellow, green, blue, violet and their various shades. 

 Its growth the first year is very tardy. Once started it will yield ^ 

 or more crops a year. It is very slow in starting in the spring, but 

 seeding on the contrary should be very early, so that seed gets the benefit 

 of plenty of moisture. In extreme cases of drought-suffering localities 

 it should be sown with grain, but the latter is not to be left to rijien 

 or it will smother the small plant. 



"Its feeding quality is not as good as that of the ordinary lucerne, 

 but it has the advantage over the latter that it does not bloat cattle 

 as easily. It also stands pasturage better than lucerne." 



In the summer of 1000 a 1-10-acre plot was used to test its value as 

 a pasture crop; both as to its food value and its ability to withstand 

 frequent grazing and the tramping of the animars feet. A movable 

 pen 16 feet long and 8 feet wide was, on May 1, started at one end of 

 the plot, which was 1 rod by 16, and moved each day at a rate sufficient 

 to pass over the entire area four times in 5 months. Until July 1 a 

 dorset ewe and two lambs were kept in the pen, then the ewe was 

 removed and the lambs left there alone. Up to August 15 the lambs 

 gained constantly and had increased 82 pounds in weight. They re- 

 ceived in addition to the lucei-ne pasture 1 pint of oats daily. After 

 August 15 the lambs continued to fall off in condition and weight. Had 

 the experiment been a feeding experiment only it would have been 

 policy to remove the lambs at this time and give them a change of 

 feed, but in order to further test the vigor of the lucerne under con- 

 tinued pasturage and learn, if possible, its injurious effects upon the 

 lambs, they were continued in the experiment until October 1, when one 

 of the lambs died, followed a few days later by the other. 



The conclusions are that the crop will furnish abundant pasture and 

 that pasturing *is not injurious to the crop as evidenced by the com- 

 plete growth that has appeared again this year. Perhaps it will be 

 necessary to avoid making it the entire ration for animals during the 

 fall when the natural food is of a less succulent nature. 



