MEDICAGO FALCATA, A YELLOW-FLOWERED ALFALFA. 61 



Table IX. — Chemical analyses of Medicayo falcata and Medicayo sativa} 





Group. 



Chemical composition on water-free basis (per cent). 



Species and S. P. I. No. 



Ash. 



Ether 

 extract. 



Protein. 



Crude 

 fiber. 



Nitrogen- 

 free 

 extract. 



Medicago falcata: 



20717 



1 

 1 

 2 

 2 

 3 

 3 

 3 

 3 



8.90 

 9.75 

 7.80 

 8.13 

 8.64 

 10.10 

 9.35 

 7.81 



8.07 



2.97 

 2.14 

 1.63 

 1.81 

 1.51 

 1.54 

 1.70 

 2.30 



2.40 



21.61 

 19.62 

 17.60 

 16.02 

 17. 65 

 18.26 

 19.94 

 17.21 



15.61 



21.51 

 29.19 

 33.77 

 36.98 

 33.14 

 30.38 

 33.81 

 31.96 



27.40 



44.99 



20725 



39.27 



20718 . 



39.17 



2i452 



37.03 



20721 



39.04 



20722 



39. '/O 



28070 



35. 17 



28071 



40.67 



Medicago sativa: 



Average of 21 samples ^ 



46.61 









1 Analyses made in the Miscellaneous Laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry, Department of Agriculture. 



2 From Farmers' Bulletin 339, p. 28. 



The analyses indicate a remarkable uniformity in the chemical 

 composition of the various forms of Medicago falcata and a some- 

 what higher protein content than is found in the average of 21 sam- 

 ples of Medicago sativa. The relatively large proportion, by 

 weight, of leaves to stem and the degree to which the leaves are 

 retained on the cured plant doubtless have a bearing on this point. 



The fresh leaves of practically all the forms of Medicago falcata 

 are rather bitter, and this characteristic may affect to some extent 

 their palatability, and incidentally their feeding value. Observa- 

 tions, however, indicate that animals eat the hay with avidity, and 

 Meyer is of the opinion that the hay is even more palatable than 

 that made from common alfalfa. The percentage of crude fiber in 

 the suberect forms of the species is appreciably higher than in varie- 

 ties of Medicago sativa and doubtless reduces their nutritive value 

 to some extent. 



Summing up the evidence briefly, it is reasonable to conclude that 

 Medicago falcata. is a highly nutritious forage plant and approxi- 

 mately equal to common alfalfa in feeding value. 



CULTURAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



Strictly speaking, the cultural investigations that have been con- 

 ducted with Medi/;ago falcata have not been extensive, owing partly 

 to an insufficient supply of seed for large plantings and partly to 

 the fact that other lines of inv^estigation have been, and still are, 

 considered of much' more importance. Broadcast seeding in rows 

 sufficiently spaced for cultivation and seeding and transplanting 

 in widely .spaced hills have been tested and the behavioi- of the 

 various forms of the species observed under these conditions. In 

 each case corripai'isons with common alfalfa were made as fully as 

 f)OKsible. 



