ALFALFA 



and red clover, while the western states have 

 found no other forage plant that can cojnpete 

 with alfalfa. 



Alfalfa yields more hay than any other 



:d hay plant, as shown by the average 



yields; alfalfa averages 2.52, timothy, 1.22 tons 



and clover 1.29 tons of cured hay per acre. 



In the United States close to 5,000,000 an 



!fa. The average market prices to the 

 growers, in normal times, is $8 per ton, com- 

 pared to $10.50 for timothy or timothy and 

 clover combined, or $9.25 for clover alone. 

 Among the states Kansas is first in M 

 The first right states in rank are the follow- 

 mi:: tho figures indicate the number of acres 

 in alfalfa in a 1 



Kansas 960,000 Idaho 310,000 



Nebraska 690,000 Utah 284,000 



Colorado 510,000 Montana 224,000 



California ....485,000 Oklahoma ....210,000 



The rank of alfalfa among the forage crops 

 of the United States is indicated in the follow- 

 ing table of comparisons; the figures are based 

 upon a ten-year average: 



182 ALFONSO XIII 



ALFIERI, alfya'rc, VITTORI, Count (1749- 

 1803), the greatest dramatic poet that Italy has 

 produced. His dramas seem to some modern 

 critics stilted and artificial, and their lofty 

 sentiments are frequently expressed in some- 

 what monotonous language; but his high pur- 

 pose is evident throughout, and his work has 

 moments of real beauty. The Italian people 

 have cause for reverencing him which is beyond 

 mere literary fame. Certain of his plays, as 

 Virginia, Brutus and Timoleone played a large 

 part, in awakening that feeling of Italian unity 

 which was the first step towards a united Italy. 



Alfieri was born at Asti, in Piedmont. He 

 traveled much, not always spending his time 

 in a creditable manner, and in 1775 produced 

 his first tragedy, Cleopatra. His first taste of 

 fame inspired him, and from that time on he 

 worked with great singleness of purpose. His 

 resting place is worthy of the awakener of 

 Italian patriotism, for he lies in the Church 

 of Santa Croce, between Michelangelo and 

 Machiavelli, and a monument by Canova 

 stands above his tomb. 



Canada's Crop. In the Dominion of Canada 

 there is little alfalfa, compared with its growth 

 in the United States. Only about 86,000 acres 

 are employed in raising it, but the market price 

 is higher, being between $11 and $12 per ton 

 in normal times. The total production is about 

 210,000 tons, an average yield of 2.42 tons per 

 acre, worth a total of $2,500,000 yearly. 



Ontario was first in alfalfa production in 

 1914, with an average total of 66,000 acres 

 under cultivation. Alberta is second, with 

 7,000 acres ; British Columbia, third, with 5,500 

 acres, and Quebec fourth, with 4,000 acres. No 

 other provinces have as yet 3,000 acres, and in 

 some, notably the Atlantic seaboard provinces, 

 not as many as 100 acres are devoted to it. 

 However, the area in alfalfa is rapidly increas- 

 ing. . E.G.M. 



Consult various bulletins of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., 

 and of the Canadian Department of Agriculture, 

 Ottawa. These may be had upon request. 



ALFON'SO XIII, (1886- ), king of 

 Spain, son of Alfonso XII and Maria Christina, 

 Archduchess of Austria. Alfonso was long one 

 of the interesting child monarchs of Europe, 

 as his father died before his birth, and he 

 ruled under the direction of his mother until 

 sixteen years of age. Throughout his boyhood 

 his kingdom was in a state of violent disorder, 

 and in 1898 he saw practically the last of 

 Spain's colonies lost in the Spanish-American 

 War. 



He took personal charge of the government 

 in 1902, and soon won the affection and confi- 

 dence of the nation by his sincerity and cour- 

 age. In 1906 he married Princess Ena of 

 Battenberg, granddaughter of Queen Victoria. 

 He has been on the whole a liberal king, and 

 has used his influence to extend religious free- 

 dom in his kingdom. Social and political 

 unrest have continued, however, and the young 

 king has several times been threatened with 



