326 IRRIGATION FARMING. 



Jacob Downing, who planted it in a dooryard in Den- 

 ver, and from whence it spread until to-day it covers 

 many thoUvSands of acres in the Rocky mountain 

 region, and extends out on the great plains as far east 

 as "the Father of Waters." A single stool of the 

 plant is honestly portrayed in Fig. 68, and the illus- 

 tration is not exaggerated. 



Turkestan Alfalfa.— The United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture has of late been taking great 

 credit upon itself for introducing Turkestan alfalfa in 

 this country, and this claim may have some signifi- 

 cance with those who do not know that Professor 

 Blount imported seed of the plant to Colorado twenty 

 years previously. After having observed the perform- 

 ance of this variety for several years, the writer is not 

 satisfied that it is any better than our old-fashioned 

 Medicago sativa, which is to-day putting more money 

 in the pockets of general farmers than any other 

 known forage plant. There may be some peculiarities 

 about Turkestan which are in reality not advantages. 

 From what we have observed the seed may germinate 

 much quicker and the plants start into growth earlier 

 under the same conditions than common alfalfa. The 

 plants are probably more leafy, but I do not believe 

 they grow more rapidly, nor have a stronger and more 

 vigorous root system. The stems are said to be more 

 slender and less woody, the plants making more nutri- 

 tious hay of finer quality than the average grade of 

 common alfalfa, for the reason, perchance, that the 

 latter has not been sown properly, and in this connec- 

 tion it might be well to add that this is a very common 

 fault when it comes to quality in the hay. There can 



