ALFALFA 



ALFALFA 



198 



at least, in all parts of the United States, and is 

 competing with red clover in certain sections of 

 the East, especially on well-drained calcareous 

 soils. It is the principal forage plant of the United 

 States west of Iowa and Missouri. In 1899 the 

 acreage in the United States was 2,094,011, and 

 the tonnage 5,220,671. 



Varieties. 



The varieties are largely adaptive (drought-, 

 cold-, disease- or alkali-resistant) and little struc- 

 tural difference is to be noted between them and the 

 ordinary variety, which 

 includes the great 

 bulk of European- and 

 American - grown seed. 

 There is no apparent 

 difference between the 

 California seed intro- 

 duced originally from 

 Chile and the European 

 importations into the 

 eastern United States. 



Turkestan. — The orig- 

 inal importation was 

 secured from Turkestan 

 by N. E. Hansen, under 

 the auspices of the 

 United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 

 Seed from the drier, 

 colder parts of Turkes- 



Flg. 271. 



Fie. 272. Alfalfa flowers. 

 Enlarged, 



tan has produced a hardier and more drought- 

 resistant crop than ordinary alfalfa, though appar- 

 ently no hardier than Grimm and northern Montana 

 seed. The forage is sweeter and has finer stalks 

 than ordinary alfalfa. As seed production in the 

 United States is difiicult, the commercial seed is 

 largely imported. Experiments indicate that it is 

 slightly superior in the semi-arid West, where the 

 moisture is sufficient for but one or two crops a 

 season of ordinary alfalfa. 



Grimm.— This was first noted in Carver county, 

 Minnesota, where it is hardy. It was introduced 

 by the Minnesota Experiment Station. It is 

 apparently slightly hardier than Turk«stan alfalfa. 

 Perhaps identical with Sand lucerne. 



Dry-land. — This is the name given throughout 

 the West to seed (especially Utah-grown) pro- 



S13 



duced without irrigation in areas of light rain- 

 fall. 



Arabian. — Arabian alfalfa was introduced 

 through the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture. It is of apparent value in the Southwest, 



Fig. 273. Diagrammatic cross-section througli alfalfa flower, 

 showing relation of "parts. Dotted lines show position 

 taken by stamen-tube, resulting from the disarticulation 

 of parts by insects. The upper filaments contract and 

 forcibly bend tlie anthers and stigma upward against the 

 body of the insect. 0, calyx; D, standard: W, wing; K, 

 keel; T, stamen-tube; F, filament of free stamen; X, 

 stigma; Y, style; O, ovary; E, erect position of stamen- 

 tube after release. 



and is a prolific yielder. The stems and leaves are 

 pubescent. 



Sand lucern. — This is thought to be a cross 

 between Medicago saiiva and M. falcata. It has 

 been grown successfully by the Michigan and 

 Wisconsin Experiment Stations. Its production is 

 still in the experimental stage, but it is proving 

 hardy and a heavy yielder on light, sandy soils 

 in Michigan. The flowers vary from yellow to 

 purple. The seed came originally 

 from Germany. 



Propagation and production. 



Tt deep, well-drained, non-acid, 

 fertile soil reasonably free from 

 weeds is required. Excessive alka- 

 linity (in the West) is overcome 

 by flooding and draining ; acidity 

 (East) is corrected by liming. 

 Well-rotted manure is a satisfac- 

 tory fertilizer. A deep, permeable 

 subsoil is necessary, as the roots 

 normally extend to depths of six 

 to twelve feet, and sometimes to 

 considerably greater depths. (Fig. 

 275.) Inoculation of the seed or 

 soil with root nodule bacteria is 

 generally advisable in the humid 

 regions. Repeated harrowings 

 after plowing produce the fine 

 well -settled seed-bed required. 

 For seeding in the West, twelve to 

 twenty pounds, and in the East, 

 twenty to thirty pounds of seed 

 per acre are used, broadcasted and harrowed or 

 drilled in one and one-half inches deep, or less in 

 clay soils, generally without a nurse crop. Choking 

 out by weeds the first summer and winter-killing 

 the first winter are to be especially guarded 

 against. 



Fig. 274. 



Alfalfa seed-pods. 



Enlarged. 



