HISTORY, DESCRIPTION, VARIETIES AND HABITS II 



"The cultivation and feeding of alfalfa mark the high- 

 est development of our modern agriculture. Alfalfa is 

 one of nature's choicest gifts to man. It is the preserver 

 and the conserver of the homestead. It is peculiarly 

 adapted to a country with a republican government, for 

 it smiles alike on the rich and the poor. It does not fail 

 from old age. It loves the sunshine, converting the 

 sunbeams into gold coin in the pockets of the thrifty 

 husbandman. It is the greatest mortgage lifter yet 

 discovered. 



"The alfalfa plant furnishes the protein to construct 

 and repair the brains of statesmen. It builds up the 

 muscles and bones of the war-horse, and gives his rider 

 sinews of iron. Alfalfa makes the hens cackle and the 

 turkeys gobble. It induces the pigs to squeal and grunt 

 with satisfaction. It causes the contented cow to give 

 pails ful of creamy milk, and the Shorthorn and white- 

 faced steers to bawl for the feed rack. Alfalfa softens 

 the disposition of the colt and hardens his bones and 

 muscles. It fattens lambs as no other feed, and promotes 

 a wool clip that is a veritable golden fleece. It compels 

 skim-milk calves to make gains of two pounds per day. 

 It helps the farmer to produce pork at a cent and a half 

 a pound and beef at two cents. 



"Alfalfa transforms the upland farm from a some- 

 time waste of gullied clay banks into an undulating 

 meadow fecund with plant-food. It drills for water, 

 working 365 days in the year without any recompense 

 from man. The labor it performs in penetrating the 

 subsoil is enormous. No other agricultural plant leaves 

 the soil in such good physical condition as alfalfa. It 



