150 ALFALFA. 
introduction of varieties that seem to be hardy in our severe 
climate. Some of these varieties have been brought from 
certain localities in Turkestan, the climate of which re- 
sembles that of Minnesota. Alfalfa has been grown with- 
out difficulty in the region of Lake Minnetonka in this state, 
for thirty or more years. The seed of this variety was 
brought into the state by certain Germans, and is said to 
have come originally from Norway. This variety has been 
found to be perfectly hardy in that vicinity, and no doubt, 
will thrive throughout the state generally excepting pos- 
sibly certain sections in the northern third of the state. Be- 
cause of the encouragement thus offered, this work on alfal- 
fa was undertaken with the object of determining its com- 
position and feeding value when grown in Minnesota, its 
chemical development and draft upon the soil. It was also 
thought that the work might stimulate the interest already 
shown and bring before our farmers, the great possibilities 
of this forage plant. 
Alfalfa or lucern, medicago sativa, is a native of Western 
Asia; it was early introduced into Southern Europe and 
later was taken to South America whence it found its way 
into Mexico and then to California and other western states. 
In the region south and west of the Missouri River, it found 
congenial conditions and has proved of immense value to 
farmers throughout that country. 
Alfalfa belongs to the same family as clover, peas and 
beans, the legume family. The young plant, at first, has a 
single stem, but as this is cut off or grows older, it branches 
and forms a crown with many stems. The plant has a 
strong tap root with smaller lateral roots as feeders. This 
tap root goes deeply into the soil and finds moisture even 
wien far below the surface. On the roots are found tuber- 
cles, or small nodules, (see figure 2), similar to those tound 
on red clover roots, and by means of these tubercles, which 
are induced by bacteria, the plant is enabled’to gather and 
use as plant food, free nitrogen of the air,so that in common 
with red clover and other members of this family, it not 
only has the power of storing up within itself large quanti- 
ties of that valuable nitrogenous material protein, but by 
