214 MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



think and study their soils and become better farmers 

 and better men. The truth is that any soil that will 

 not grow alfalfa is seriously deficient, and when it has 

 been so ameliorated that alfalfa thrives on it the soil 

 is fit for any crop whatever, save that it may be too 

 full of nitrogen to grow oats or other grains with soft 

 straw. 



Alfalfa is a strongly perennial clover-like legume, hav- 

 ing a large deeply penetrating root and a top with 

 many branching stems. It carries a small purple, green- 

 ish or yellow bloom, and the seeds are arranged in screw- 

 like pods. It is a plant starting very early in spring and 

 capable of yielding 2 to 6 or 8 crops in one year, 3 cut- 

 tings being commonly taken in Ohio, Illinois, Nebraska 

 and Colorado, and more in regions to the southward. 



History. No one knows the origin of alfalfa. It 

 came to Europe through the Persians and was highly 

 esteemed by the ancients. It has long been cultivated 

 in Europe under the name of "lucerne" and is today 

 held in the highest esteem of any legume in France, 

 Italy and some other countries with soil and climate 

 adapted to its culture. Though it has been grown many 

 centuries, it is only within recent years that it has been 

 well understood, so that today its culture is being more 

 rapidly extended in parts of Europe than ever before. 

 I saw its introduction pushed in Denmark and listened 

 with pleased interest to accounts of its virtues and needs, 

 "that the soil be well drained, that it have lime enough 

 and inoculation." 



The Spanish people brought alfalfa to the New World 

 from Chili ; it came to California whence it spread to 



