210 THE ESSENTIALS OF AGRICULTURE 



increased by cutting the first crop a little earlier than usual. 

 Red clover is almost entirely dependent upon the aid of insects, 

 especially the bumblebee, for the pollination of its flowers 

 (Fig. 98). It has recently been discovered that during moist 

 weather the pollen of red clover swells and bursts and is there- 

 fore useless to the plant. The abundance of some of the polli- 

 nating insects and the amount of rainfall during July and 

 August largely determine the yield of seed. From two to four 

 bushels of seed to the acre is the customary yield, although as 

 much as seven bushels per acre has been obtained. 



III. ALFALFA 



Of all those plants which please us, alfalfa is the most excellent ; because 

 one sowing lasts ten years, and affords commonly four, sometimes six cuttings 

 in a season ; because it enriches the land that produces it ; and fattens all 

 kinds of lean cattle. COLUMELLA 



272. History. The history of alfalfa began many years be- 

 fore the Christian era. It probably had its origin in the valleys 

 of Media, in western Asia, whence it gradually spread west- 

 ward to Persia and Greece, and then to Italy, Spain, France, 

 and Germany. 



Alfalfa was first introduced into the United States about 

 1791, at which time it was grown in New York, but with only 

 moderate success. In 1854 small quantities of alfalfa seed were 

 carried from Chile to California by gold seekers, who in their 

 passage around South America on their way to California had 

 stopped off in Chile and there saw the wonderful alfalfa fields. 

 In California it quickly gained a foothold. From California it 

 spread through the Western states and as far east as Kansas 

 and Nebraska. East of the Missouri River its progress has 

 been slow, although the acreage is increasing rapidly as far 

 north as Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas, and as far 

 south as Alabama and Mississippi. The distinctive alfalfa belts 

 are central Kansas, south-central Nebraska, central California, 

 and parts of Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon. 



