34 BULLETIIir 428, IT. S. DEPAETMEITT OF AGRICULTURE. 



it is probably utilized at the present time more than ever before in 

 Europe and Asia, but wholly as a wild plant on the ranges and in 

 pastures. According to Hansen {26, p. 12), it is attracting attention 

 as a range plant in European Russia. Meyer is authority for the 

 statement that the Kalmucks and Sarts in Chinese Turkestan gather 

 it, together with other wild plants, as hay for horses and cattle. 

 Nilsson indicates that it is utilized quite abundantly in Sweden as a 

 wild pasture plant on dry, sandy land. It is reasonable to conclude, 

 therefore, that its value has long been recognized in the agi'iculture 

 of Europe and Asia. Farther on in this paper some of the reasons 

 for its present agricultural status will be discussed. 



COMMON NAMES. 



While various common names have been applied to Medicago 

 falcata, unfortunately there is none that is without somewhat serious 

 objections. The most satisfactory name that suggests itself and 

 the one that is most commonly used in this country is "yellow- 

 flowered alfalfa." The chief objection to this name lies in the fact 

 that it is not distinctive, there being other fairly distinct species of 

 Medicago belonging to the alfalfa group that have yellow flowers. 

 However, Medicago falcata is the most promising member of the 

 yellow-flowered group from a forage standpoint, and it is quite 

 probable that the common name "yellow-flowered alf alf a " will be 

 generally adopted for it. The name " sickle-podded alfalfa " has 

 been occasionally used, but it is cumbersome and harsh sounding. 

 " Siberian alfalfa " meets with objections because the species is by 

 no means confined to Siberia in its natural range. Meyer ^ writes 

 that— 



In the southern and central Provinces of Russia and more especially along 

 the Volga Piver, this wild lucern is called Burgoon. In western Siberia a 

 number of names are in use among the farmers, like Sholty lucern, Sholty 

 klever, Sholty weeseel, and Deekii lucern. These mean, respectively, yellow 

 alfalfa, yellow clover, yellow vetch, and wild alfalfa. The second name, how- 

 ever, applies also to various species of Melilotus, while the third one is given 

 to Lathprus pratensis. The German settlers in the Caucasus in southern Rus- 

 sia and in western Siberia call this wild alfalfa invariably " steinklee," meaning 

 stone clover, or if one gives the word stein a wider meaning, wild clover. In 

 Chinese Turkestan the Turki people call this plant " Tagh-beda," and it seems 

 very likely that the Germans have simply translated this name, since these 

 hardy and industrious settlers have always come much in contact with Tar- 

 tars and Kirghiz, who all speak Turki dialects. The Dsungans, in Chinese 

 Turkestan, who are Chinese who have become Mohammedans, give Medicago 

 falcata the name of " San musu," which means mountain alfalfa or wild 

 alfalfa. The name " musu " is, however, applied to several trifoliate plants in 

 the same way the average person uses the word clover for many widely dis- 



1 In an unpublished report on file in the United States Department of Agriculture. 



