2 ' - , ^. ^. s0 j, F>J^E^&,BQOK OF Gil ASHES 



MEDICAGO. Medick . 



1. M. SATIVA. Modick, Lucerne, Spanish Trefoil, French Lu- 

 zernc and Alfalfa. This plant is very pretty and very valuable. 

 When first brought from South America to the United States, it 

 was supposed to be a new plant and called Brazilian clover. A 

 few years ago, it was taken from western South America to Cal- 

 ifornia, and thence to the older States as a new plant with its 

 Spanish name Alfalfa. But it was known in the earlier ages of 

 the world. By the Greeks (about 500 years "before Christ) it 

 was brought from Medea and hence its generic and one of its 

 common names. It has been known ever since in most civil- 

 ized States, and often mentioned by Roman agricultural writers 

 and by others from their time to this. It is still grown in Per- 

 sia, where, as in Peru, it is cut throuhout the year. It had been 

 cultivated in the southern States 50 years before received from 

 California. 



It is ready for use early. Last year I had it two feet high, 

 the middle of February ; this year the same height a month la- 

 ter, all the forage plants being late. It should be planted in 

 drills 12 or 15 inches apart, and I think at the very least, ten 

 pounds of seed per acre. The ground should be rich, dry and 

 mellow. The first year it should be cultivated to keep down 

 grass and weeds. The mowing should be made when the first 

 blooms appear, if for hay. It makes a good hay, relished by 

 stock. It is better however, for soiling or feeding green, or 

 rather wilted. For this purpose the cutting should begin before 

 the plant shows any blooms ; otherwise, before going over all the 

 lot, some stems become too hard to digest promptly. By the 

 time the last is cut, the first is again ready for the sickle. And 

 thus it may be cut four to six times a year. The amount of rich 

 forage it may produce is probably greater than from any other 

 plant. It is very rich in milk and butter principles, and spe- 

 cially suited for feeding milk cows. For this purpose cut after 

 noon and feed next day. 



Stock must not have access to the growing lucerne ; for by 

 eating out the crowns, the plants are killed. If protected and 

 manured a little every few years, it will continue a vigorous 

 growth for a life-time. Some plots of it are now in fine condi- 

 tion, that are known to have been growing for over thirty -five 

 years, without any marks of decay. 



Where the sub-soil can be penetrated and is not too moist, lu- 

 cerne sends its roots down 10, 15, even 20 feet deep. Hence 

 it is less affected by drought than any other plant. This should 

 render it specially valuable in the Mission Valley and some oth- 

 er portions of Texas, and perhaps on the skirts of our western 

 desert. 



