59 
the leaves about a foot long, and half an inch wide, and the spike-like 
mane 4 to S inches long. Mr, W. C. Cusick, of Oregon, says : 
This isa very valuable grass, commonly known as rye-grass. In Baker County 
large peace s are cut for hay, for which it is said to be excellent. It is also much 
used as,a winter-forage plant, Cattle are driven into the dry bottoms where it grows, 
and live upon it when the shorter grasses are covered with snow. 
(Plate 29.) 
Medicago sativa (Alfalfa). 
This plant is called lucerne, medick, cee trefoil, French clover, 
Brazilian clover, and Chilian clover. It is nota true clover, though 
belonging to the same natural family as the elovers. Alfalfa, the 
name by which it is commonly known in this country, is the Spanish 
name, which came into use here from the fact that the plant was intro- 
duced into cultivation in California from South America under the 
generally known as lucerne, probably from the canton of Lucerne, in 
Switzerland, where it was largely cultivated at an early day. It has 
been known in cultivation from very ancient times, and was introduced 
from western Asia into Greece about 500 B.C. Itis now largely grown 
in southern France, and to a considerable extent in other parts of 
Europe. It has been introduced into several of the countries of South 
America, and on the ome of Buenos Ayres it has escaped from eal- 
tivation, and grows extensively in a wild state. Though known for a 
long time in the nied States, alfalfa is not yet cultivated to the extent 
that it should 
Prof. E. W. Bilgard, in the Report of the a of Agriculture 
for 1878, page 490, says : 
Ppipsiceraec pd the most valuable result of the search after forage crops adapted to 
e California climate is the introduction of the culture of alfalfa, this being the 
name commonly applied to the variety of lucerne that was introduced into California 
from Chili early in her history, differing from the European plant merely in that it 
The latter habit, doubtless ac- 
the importance of alfalfa to Californian agriculture, which will be more and more 
recognized as a ee a of rolesion becomes a part of the general practice. 
first alfalfa was used alm y for pasture and green-soiling purposes, 
during the last three or ae years alfalfa hay has become a regular article in ihe 
t 
> i - 
in curing. On rrigated Jands of Kern, é Tulare Counties, three and 
even four cuts of forage, aggregating to something like 12 to 14 tons of hay per acre, 
ave frequently been le, e available green forage during summer, 
A i 
alfalfa has become an invaluable adjunct to all dairy and stock farming wherever 
the _ ean, during the d@ ary season, supply ia moisture within 2 or 5 feet of 
surface 
(Plate 30.) 
