NATURAL HISTORY. 



97 



both plants it would be somewhat difficult to say which should 

 have the preference. In some respects it is decidedly superior, 

 as in being perennial, and consequently remaining long in the 

 soil. I have seen fine specimens of it in South Boston, where 

 the seed was sown in 1824, still maintaining its vigorous hold 



Fig. 89. White Clover. 



Fig. 90. 



of the soil and growing with remarkable luxuriance. The 

 crop of lucerne is as abundant as red clover, and is equally 

 well relished by cattle, both green and dry. Its yield of green 

 fodder continues later in the season than that of red clover. 



Lucerne sends down its tap 

 roots in mellow soils, to enor- 

 mous depths, having been found 

 in sandy soils thirteen feet in 

 length. The leaflets are in 

 threes, obovate, oblong, toothed, 

 the flowers pale blue, violet, or 

 purple, shaped as in Fig. 92, the 

 fruit in downy pods, having two 

 or three twirls, as in Fig. 93. 



Lucerne is cultivated in Chili 

 and grows wild in the utmost 

 luxuriance in the pampas of 

 Buenos Ayres, where it is called 

 alfalfa, which is simply the com- 

 mon lucerne, slightly modified 

 by climate, and may be regarded 

 as a variety. 



The cultivation of lucerne is 

 somewhat more difficult than 



Lucerne. 



13 



