64 BULLETIN 428, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTTJEE. 



The species was recognized by botanists early in the history of 

 modern botany, if not long before. Eecent botanists differ somewhat 

 with regard to its taxonomic relationship to Medicago sativa. Some 

 give it the rank of a true species, while others regard it as a variety 

 or subspecies of the latter. The natural relationship of the two, 

 however, is quite clearly shown by the readiness with which they 

 hybridize and the fertility of their hybrids. 



It is an extremely variable species, many forms of which are diffi- 

 cult to classify satisfactorily on account of their varying combina- 

 tions of characters and the difficulty of determining whether they 

 are of pure or hybrid origin. A classification or grouping has been 

 attempted in this paper largely upon the basis of habit of growth. 

 Four groups have been established, ranging in habit from prostrate 

 to almost erect. The first two are referred to as pasture groups, as 

 they are not sufficiently erect to be harvested satisfactorily for hay 

 by machinery. The last two are sufficiently erect to be harvested for 

 hay and are referred to as hay groups. 



Botanists have named and described several varieties of the 

 species, many' of which have proved to be hybrids of Medicago 

 fcdcata and Medicago sativa. 



Medicago falcata has never been extensively cultivated in Europe 

 or Asia, although it has been utilized as a wild forage plant since a 

 very early date. Many attempts have been made to grow it under 

 cultivation in Europe, but so far as can be found it is now being 

 cultivated only in India and, possibly, to a very limited extent in 

 southeastern Russia and Chinese Turkestan. 



Numerous common names have been proposed for the species, but 

 so far none is satisfactory. The name by which it is most gen- 

 erally known in this country is yellow-flowered alfalfa. It is prob- 

 able that this name will finally be adopted. 



The erect forms of Medicago falcata resemble very closely those 

 of Medicago sativa in their mass effect, but on an average they pro- 

 duce a heavier yield in comparison with their bulk, partly because 

 of the more numerous stems and partly because of the texture of 

 their herbage. Under similar conditions of soil and stand of plants 

 the best strains of Medicago falcata frequently outyield the best 

 varieties of Medicago sativa for the first cutting of the season. 



A very serious drawback to the general utilization of Medicago 

 falcata as a cultivated forage crop is its inability to recover quickly 

 after cutting. Under conditions such as exist in the West and 

 Northwest, where it appears to offer its greatest possibilities, it can 

 be depended upon to make only one crop in a season. It produces 

 seed sparingly and does not hold it as retentively as does Medicago 

 sativa. This is also a serious handicap to its use as a cultivated' crop. 



