AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



369 



branches long distances in search of 

 nourishment. The first year of its growth 

 it sends up a large group of stems from 

 a single root. These reach a height of 

 about 2 feet and are provided with an 

 abundance of leaves. The second year 

 it sends up more vigorous stalks, which 



Sweet Clover — {Melilotus alba.) 



develop many branches and grow to a 

 height of 4 to 8 feet, according to the 

 moisture which they are able to obtain 

 from the soil. 



The leaves are trifoliate or composed 

 of three leaflets, of which the terminal 

 one is short stalked and the lateral ones 

 nearly or quite sessile. They have a 

 common stalk or petiole generally less 



than an inch in length. The leaflets 

 vary in size; on the thrifty shoots of the 

 first year they may be Hi to Hi inches 

 long and J^ inch wide, but generally they 

 are about 1 inch long, of an oblong or 

 oblanceolate form, with the margins 

 finely toothed. 



It begins to branch quite low and con- 

 tinues producing many slender branches 

 to the top. The smaller subdivisions of 

 these branches, from 3 to 6 inches in 

 length, are occupied with the flowers and 

 finally with the seed. The flowers are 

 arranged on these branches in spikes 

 coming out irregularly but pretty uni- 

 formly for the whole distance. They 

 are very small, white, on very short ped- 

 icels, and reflexed or bent backward. 

 They have the general structure of flow- 

 ers of the order to which they belong, 

 but the parts are so minute that they 

 need some magnifying power to see all 

 the details. They have a 5-toothed calyx, 

 5 irregular petals, 10 stamens, 9 of 

 which are grown together so as to form 

 a band, the 10th stamen free, with a 

 small membranous, wrinkled, usually 1- 

 seeded pod. These pods are very small, 

 but as there are great numbers of them 

 on the branches the result is a pretty 

 large yield. 



The plant is a native of the southern 

 parts of Europe and Western Asia. 

 From its prevalence in the latter situa- 

 tion it receives the name of "Bokhara 

 clover." 



It has been cultivated to some extent 

 in Europe, but is there considered 

 greatly inferior to red clover on account 

 of the large proportion of coarse and in- 

 nutritious stalks. On soils that are suit- 

 able for red clover this plant will give 

 better satisfaction, but it is said to be 

 adapted to poor soils, and not only to 

 yield a heavy crop of forage, but to be 

 very useful for plowing under to enrich 

 the soil. 



In some parts of the South it has re- 

 cently been considerably cultivated and 

 apparently with satisfactory results. 

 Bees are said to be very fond of the flow- 

 ers, and hence it has been recommended 

 as a honey-producing plant. 



The following letter from Dr. R. H. 

 Duggar, of Galliun, Hale County, Ala- 

 bama, gives an account of his acquaint- 

 ance with the plant and his estimation 

 of its value : 



Gallion, Hale Co., Ala. 

 With reference to the plant sweet clo- 

 ver, sometimes called wild lucerne, but 

 more properly ''Melilotus alba," or 

 '•Bokhara clover," I will state that about 

 15 years ago I was attracted to it by 



