50 ALFALFA FARMING IN AMERICA. 
remembered that much of the land of Greece is 
formed from the decay of limestone and marble. 
Thus filled with carbonate of lime it is naturally 
fitted for alfalfa culture as well as for the production 
of such magnificent men as the Greeks undoubtedly 
were. 
From Greece alfalfa spread into Rome, just when 
we do not know. The first real farm books were 
written in the first century after Christ. One L. 
Junius Moderatus Columella, born in Spain but liv- 
ing most of his life in Italy, wrote twelve books 
which he called ‘‘De Re Rustica.’’ These books 
were written about the year 56 A. D. It would seem 
from dipping into the pages of Columella that about 
as much was known then of agriculture as is known 
today. Indeed, they knew then many things that 
we do not know today, and agriculture has lost many 
picturesque details by the pruning away little by 
little of agricultural fancies, by the accumulations of 
stern facts. 
But however much we may smile at some of Col- 
umella’s account of ancient Roman agriculture, we 
will respect him for his account of alfalfa and the 
way to grow it. Many forage crops are mentioned 
by Columella—medie (alfalfa), vetches, bitter vetch, 
chick pea, barley, oats and wheat. 
Speaking of the various sorts of fodders he says 
the herb medic (alfalfa) is the choicest, because 
when it is sown it lasts ten years. He continues: 
It can bear to be cut down four times, sometimes also six times 
in a year, because it dungs the land. All emaciated cattle what- 
