VARIETIES OF ALFALFA. 79 



From an agricultural standpoint this species is by far the most 

 important, being probably the most widely grown and most valu- 

 able forage plant in the world. 



Yellow lucerne or Swedish clover (Medicago falcata) is a 

 perennial plant strongly resembling alfalfa, but it differs from 

 alfalfa in being of somewhat lower, more spreading habit and 

 having bright yellow flowers. It is a native of northern Europe, 

 extending into Sweden and probably far into northern Siberia. It 

 shows greater cold resistance than the ordinary alfalfa and is 

 less liable to winter-killing. This species is probably identical 

 with the yellow Siberian alfalfa recently introduced by Prof. N. 

 E. Hansen of South Dakota. 



Sand lucerne (Medicago media Pers.}. "There has been a dif- 

 ference of opinion among European botanists in regard to the re- 

 lationship of sand lucerne to other lucernes or alfalfas, viz., Med- 

 icago sativa (ordinary alfalfa) and Medicago falcata (yellow lu- 

 cerne.) Alefeld and other botanists unite common alfalfa, sand 

 lucerne and yellow lucerne into a single species. Some botanists 

 look upon alfalfa and yellow lucerne as distinct species and con- 

 sider sand lucerne as a hybrid between them. Others regard 

 them all as distinct species. The three forms, however, differ so 

 widely in agricultural value and other characters that they can- 

 not be treated together." 



"The ordinary distinguishing characters between alfalfa and 

 sand lucerne are easily recognizable when the two are grown side 

 by side." 



"The stiff habit of alfalfa differs from the more spreading 

 habit of sand lucerne. The flowers of the former are bluish to 

 violet purple, while those of the latter range from bluish and 

 purple to lemon yellow, with many intermediate shades. The pods 

 of alfalfa are coiled in about two turns, while those of sand 

 lucerne are in about three-fourths of one coil. The seeds of the 

 sand lucerne are lighter than those of alfalfa. Five hundred seeds 

 of sand lucerne weigh from 0.8 to 0.9 gram, while the same number 

 of seeds of common alfalfa weigh from 1 to 1.037 grams." 



"Sand lucerne, although a perennial like alfalfa, is not so pro- 

 ductive in lands sufficiently moist for the latter or where it is 

 hardy." 



However, in non-irrigated land in parts of Wisconsin and in 

 Utah it is said to surpass any other variety except the Turkestan. 

 In the moist climate of Michigan and in the irrigated land of 

 Utah, on the other hand, it was much inferior to the ordinary 

 sorts. Seedsmen advertise it as being hardier, more drought- 

 resistant and better able to stand grazing than alfalfa, and say 



