ALFALFA, FORAGE CROPS AND PASTURES 267 



in the United States. If corn is the king, then alfalfa is 

 the queen of American crops. Alfalfa is of high antiquity, 

 and the watchful care of unnumbered generations of 

 farmers has resulted in a crop of extremely high agri- 

 cultural value. It thrives best in arid and semi-arid 

 climates, and under irrigation in such climates reaches 

 its highest perfection. Differences in altitude or average 

 temperature do not affect it much, so that over the whole 

 irrigated section, from the high mountain valleys to the 

 seacoast and from the cold mountain country to the burn- 

 ing sands of the low desert, alfalfa thrives and yields 

 heavily. It is an excellent preparatory crop for infertile 

 or new land. In cases without number it has been found 

 that lands on which grain would not at first grow would 

 support alfalfa, and that, after some years hi this crop, 

 the lands would produce grams or any other crop. It is 

 a host for nitrogen-gathering forms of life and, therefore, 

 increases the fertility of the soil. It is a most palatable 

 food for all domestic animals, which thrive upon it. Its 

 tonnage is large, averaging about five tons to the acre. It 

 is reported that in Arizona and similar districts, excep- 

 tional yields of seven tons or more are obtained. With 

 proper tillage, an alfalfa field lasts long. Even with the 

 improper tillage given the early alfalfa fields of the West, 

 there are fields, forty to fifty years old, that are still 

 yielding large harvests. When the alfalfa field is disked or 

 harrowed annually, it should continue for generations to 

 produce undiminished yields. 



Alfalfa requires abundant sunshine, and prefers a high 

 summer temperature. It does best on rich, deep, well- 

 drained soil. Hardpan or ground water near the surface 

 is undesirable, as it tends to prevent the descent of the 

 tap-root. Especially is such interference objectionable 



