HISTORY. 65 



tainly must claim credit for its introduction into 

 southwestern Texas and probably into New Mexico 

 and perhaps into Arizona. 



It took the keen prophetic insight of the Ameri- 

 can, however, to see in the alfalfa plant the wonder- 

 ful possibilities that lay within it. Gold was discov- 

 ered in California in 1847 and immediately began a 

 great rush for that land. Many men went by the 

 long route "around The Horn." In Chili a good 

 land and fertile, with well developed agriculture, 

 ships tarried often for a little time. The passengers 

 wearied with the long sea voyage took themselves 

 with delight to the fields. There they saw alfalfa 

 for the first time. Some of them took seed of it with 

 them to California. Others sent back there for seed 

 and sowed it in California, land of promise. Cali- 

 fornia proved to have suitable soil and climate, and 

 alfalfa throve there astonishingly. Gold could not 

 always be found with pick and shovel, it could with- 

 out fail be found by alfalfa roots. For the first time 

 in its history alfalfa became a great crop and men 

 began to plant it largely, to talk of it and write of it. 



Probably no one knows more of the early history 

 of alfalfa in California than E. J. Wickson, Director 

 of the California experiment station and dean of the 

 agricultural college. My letter to him containing 

 questions and his answers thereto is presented : 



I am delighted that you will undertake to help me in my alfalfa 

 investigations. I know of no man better fitted than you. The 

 points I particularly wish to know are not very difficult of answer. 



Question: On what date did the real introduction of alfalfa in 

 California take place, and where was it sown? 



Answer: I have record of sowing alfalfa by W. E. Cameron, 



