4 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



THE NAME AND ITS ORIGIN 



The name "Alfalfa" is from an Arabic word meaning 

 "the best fodder," which honor it can certainly still 

 claim Many writers have assumed that the name 

 "Lucerne" which it bears in France and England, was 

 from the name of the Swiss canton. Lucerne. This is 

 a mistake as it was not known there until long after it 

 was cultivated in France and England. The name is 

 probably from the Spanish word "Userdas" which the 

 French changed to "La-cuzerdo" and later to "Lu- 

 zerne," still later to "Lizerne" and then to "Lucerne." 



Among other names by which alfalfa is known are 

 the following: Lucerne; French Lucerne; French 

 Clover, in part; Mexican Clover, in part; Lucerne 

 Clover; Lucerne Medicago; Alfalfa Clover; Chilian 

 Clover; Brazilian Clover; Syrian Clover; Sainfoin, 

 erroneously; Spanish Trefoil; Purple Medick; Manured 

 Medick; Cultivated Medicago; Medick. Persian, Isfist; 

 Greek, Medicai; Latin, Medica, Herba Medica; Italian, 

 Herba Spagna; Spanish, Melga or Meilga, also 

 (from the Arabic), Alfalfa, Alfa'safat; French, La 

 Lucerne; German, Lucerne, Common Fodder, Snail 

 Clover, Blue Snail Clover, Branching Clover, Stem 

 Clover, Monthly Clover, Horned Clover, in part, Peren- 

 nial Clover, Blue Perennial Clover, Burgundy Clover, 

 Welsh Clover, Sicilian Clover. 



Alfalfa belongs to the botanical family Leguminosae, 

 or the legumes, of which there are thousands of species, 

 and is thus related to all clovers, peas, vetches and beans. 

 Its botanical name is Medicago sativa. There are some 

 fifty species of the genus Medicago that are known, but 



