Il6 FODDER AND PASTURE PLANTS. 



thought it to be derived from the Arabian "Al-chelfa," which means 

 "That which grows after something else," and is generally applied 

 to plants which thrive after the spring growth has disappeared. 

 The latter name would signify the ability of the plant to grow during 

 the hot summer and perhaps refer to its power of producing many 

 crops during the season. The first-mentioned derivation, however, 

 is probably the correct one, the Spanish "Alfalfa" having been iden- 

 tified with the Arabian "Alfacfacah" in the I5th century by Fray 

 Pedro de Alcala, a prominent specialist on the Arabian language. 



In Europe Alfalfa is always called Lucerne. The origin of this 

 word is uncertain. It has nothing to do with the Swiss state as the 

 name was used before the plant was known in Switzerland. It is 

 not likely that it was derived from the Lucerna valley in northern 

 Italy, as is generally assumed by American authors. An old Spanish 

 name for the plant is "Userdas," which is possibly identical with 

 the name "Louzerdo," used in southern France. More likely the 

 name Lucerne comes from "lucerno," which is an old Provengal 

 word. 



Varieties: A great many varieties of Alfalfa occur in the trade, 

 some of which are real botanical varieties; that is, they can be dis- 

 tinguished by fixed botanical characteristics. Turkestan Alfalfa, for 

 instance, has short, round leaflets and dull seeds. Others are only 

 geographical varieties; their names merely signify that the seed has 

 been grown in a certain country. Several, however, show decidedly 

 practical qualities, such as hardiness, resistance to drought and 

 disease, stooling power, seed production, etc. For Canada only 

 hardy varieties are of importance. Arabian or Peruvian Alfalfa, for 

 instance, will be winter-killed, and, generally speaking, varieties of 

 a southern origin will suffer. When buying seed the farmer should 

 therefore make sure that the variety offered him is suitable for the 

 climate. It is always advisable to choose a variety grown in a coun- 

 try with a climate similar to that where the plant is to be grown. 



Cultural conditions: The proper development of Alfalfa 

 largely depends on the soil. It can be grown on many kinds, from 

 sand or sandy loams to heavy clays. It thrives best in deep loams 

 with open porous subsoil where the taproots are not hindered. As 

 the roots penetrate to a considerable depth, the quality of the sub- 

 soil is of great importance. If it is compact and impenetrable it will 

 be a serious obstacle to successful Alfalfa growing. For the same 

 reason, there is little chance of a good stand on shallow soil on rock 



