Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries 301 



Medicago media, Persoon. 



The Sand-Lucerne. This species reaches indigenously more 

 northern latitudes than M. sativa, to which it deserves preference on 

 sandy soil, but also requires some lime in it. The flowers turn from 

 pale-yellow to green and dark -violet. M. media of some authors is 

 M. sativa variety, of other authors the same as M. falcata. 



MedicagO rugosa, Desrousseaux. 



Eastern countries at the Mediterranean Sea. Smaller than M. 

 orbicularis, but also valuable as an easily naturalised annual, harm 

 less in having the fruit not prickly. 



Medicago sativa, Morison.* 



The Lucerne, Purple Medick or Alfalfa. Orient and temperate 

 Western Asia, now spread through Middle and Southern Europe, 

 North- Africa and Middle Asia. The Romans brought it 470 years 

 before the Christian era from Media, hence the generic name [A. de 

 Candolle]. Mentioned already by Theophrastos and Dioscorides. A 

 perennial fodder-herb of great importance, and largely utilised in 

 most countries with a temperate clime ; perhaps descended from the 

 European and North-Asiatic Medicago falcata (Linne), the Yellow 

 Medick, which also deserves naturalisation, especially on light or 

 sandy calcareous soil ; but that plant is less productive than the true 

 Lucerne, and does not resist occasional slight inundations so well, 

 enduring however a rougher climate. Lucerne keeps green and 

 fresh in the hottest season of the year, even in dry and comparatively 

 barren ground and on coast-sands, but develops itself for field-culture 

 with the greatest vigor on river-banks or when subjected to a judi- 

 cious system of irrigation, particularly in soil rich in lime. Its deeply 

 penetrating roots render the plant particularly fit for fixing embank- 

 ments or hindering the washing away of soil subject to occasional 

 inundations. Bonnet records a root 66 feet long. The greatest yield 

 is from the second to the sixth year. One of the most valuable of 

 green fodders, but less suited for hay, as the leaves so readily drop 

 off [Dr. Stebler]. Will succeed also in warm climes. The Royal 

 Commission for Water-Supply in New South Wales has ascertained 

 that ten acres of Lucerne, raised by irrigation for ensilage, would 

 provide for the herd of 2,000 acres pasture-land during a season of 

 drought. The Peruvian variety (Alfalfa) resists drought and frost 

 better than the original European Lucerne. Dr. Curl, of New Zea- 

 land, allows cattle to feed upon Alfalfa for two weeks, then takes 

 them off and puts sheep on for two weeks, to eat the Alfalfa close to 

 the ground ; he then removes them and permits the Alfalfa to grow 

 for a month, when he repeats the process. He allows five large 

 cattle or twenty sheep to the acre. Lucerne is also an important 

 honey-plant for bees, but the quality of the honey varies according to 

 the season. Much iron in the soil or stagnant water is detrimental 

 to lucerne-culture, while friable warm soil much promotes its growth. 



