430 



LEGUMINOS^ 



The primary root is strongly developed and forms a tap root 

 which in old plants is often three-quarters of an inch in diameter - 

 this and the secondary roots penetrate several feet into the earth 

 on ground with an open subsoil. The leaves are trifoliate ; each 

 leaflet is obovate, dentate, with a notched tip and a projecting 

 midrib {f. Fig. 133). 



The flowers are usually purple, but sometimes yellow, in 

 dense axillary racemes, the peduncles of which are longer than 

 the leaves. 



The fruit is a dehiscent legume coiled two or three times into 

 a loose spiral : it contains several seeds. 



Lucerne is one of the most valuable fodder plants for warm 

 climates and succeeds well in the south of England on ground 

 with an open subsoil. It suffers very little from drought when 

 once established and gives two or three heavy cuts of fodder 

 every season, the first of which is ready more than a fortnight 

 earlier than red clover. 



It is most frequently used green, but can be made into hay ; 

 in the latter case it must be cut before flowering or it becomes 

 hard and woody, and special care must be taken to prevent loss 

 of leaves in handling. 



In the first season the young plants develop large root- 

 systems and few stems and leaves above ground, consequently a 

 small crop only is produced. 



Instead of the part of the stem above the cotyledons remain- 

 ing short for some time and its leaves forming a rosette on the 

 surface of the ground as in red clover, the internodes of the 

 epicotyl in lucerne elongate at once (3, Fig. 133), and the main 

 stem grows erect with comparatively few branches in the first 

 season. The crop therefore in the earlier stages of growth often 

 looks thin and disappointing. 



Vigorous branches, however, spring up later from the lower 

 nodes of the stem and from the axils of the cotyledons (4, Fig. 

 133), especially after being cut once. 



