4 



acres in 191 <j, Scotland (fc> acres in 1917 ), Asia, Africa — Trans- 

 vaal, Cape, &c, America and Australia. There is probably no 

 other forage crop so widely grown, including tropical, sub- 

 tropical and temperate conditions in arid, semi-arid, and wet 

 regions. Used chiefly as fodder for cattle, horses, sheep and 

 pigs, either green, as hay, as pasture, as ensilage — though this 

 is not often necessary, more particularly in dry climates — and 

 as meal, the dried stems and leaves ground up and mixed with 

 grain or molasses. The flowers are good for feeding bees. 



There are several popular forms — Provence, Turkestan, 

 Arabian, Peruvian (var. polia, Brand, in which the whole plant 

 is pubescent, giving a held of silvery-white appearance against 

 the vivid green of the common form). "Provence Lucerne " is, 

 perhaps, the one most generally grown, and this is the principal 

 source of the commercial supplies of seed. 



la. ix. 2 (1911), pp. 186-190. 2. Dec. 1896, "Cultivation of 

 Lucerne in England/' pp. 299-300, with table of acreage in 



various counties; Sept. 189T, "Value of Lucerne as a Fodder 

 Crop/' pp. 218-221; March, 1901, €% Experiments with Lucerne," 

 pp. 485-488; Dec. 1902, " On the Cultivation of Lucerne," pp. 

 343-344; July, 1905, pp. 225-227; May, 190U, "Lucerne and 

 Trefoil Seeds," pp. 82-91; July, 1910, "Time of Cutting 

 Lucerne," p. 305. 3. No. 160, 1915, "The Cultivation of 

 Lucerne." 



The "Yellow Lucerne" (Medicago falcata, Linn.), is an 

 indigenous Alfalfa of Europe and Northern and Central Asia, 

 cut for fodder as a wild plant in certain parts; but it does not 

 appear to be generally cultivated. " Heart Clover " or " Spotted 

 Bur Clover" (M. maculata, Sibth., M. arabica, All.) is a useful 

 fodder plant in the United States. 



M elilotus alba, Desr. ; Sweet Clover, Bokhara Clover, White 

 or Sweet Melilot, Honey Clover, Siberian Melilot. 



Biennial, about 3 ft. high. Europe, Asia, United States. 

 Grown for pasturage, hay, soiling — but not commonly for this 

 purpose, though hogs eat it readily when thus fed," and 

 milage. The " cumarin content makes animals avoid it until 



they have acquired a taste for its bitterness." (Piper). A good 

 bee-feeding plant. 



Trifolium alexandrinum, Linn.) Berseem or Bersim (Arabic). 



Annual. Cultivated in Egypt and introduced to the S. United 

 States. An important forage crop in Egypt, where it seems to 

 suit the conditions as a cool season crop under irrigation, 

 followed by cotton, &c, in the hot season, and is there preferred 

 o " Alfalfa," which is also grown. It does not, however, appear 

 to be able to compete with "Alfalfa" elsewhere. 



Trifolium hybridum, Linn. ; Alsike Clover, Swedish Clover, 



Perennial, 2 ft. or so in height. S. Europe, Asia Minor, 

 Algeria; cultivated in Sweden, Great Britain, United States, 

 Canada. Grown for temporary and permanent pasture and for 

 hay. It makes a good substitute in ground " sick " of red 



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