HISTORY. 65 
tainly must claim credit for its introduction into 
southwestern Texas and probably into New Mexico 
and perhaps into Arizona. 
It took the keen prophetic insight of the Ameri- 
can, however, to see in the alfalfa plant the wonder- 
ful possibilities that lay within it. Gold was discov- 
ered in California in 1547 and immediately began a 
great rush for that land. Many men went by the 
long route ‘‘around The Horn.’’ In Chili a good 
land and fertile, with well developed agriculture, 
ships tarried often for a little time. The passengers 
wearied with the long sea voyage took themselves 
with delight to the fields. There they saw alfalfa 
for the first time. Some of them took seed of it with 
them to California. Others sent back there for seed 
and sowed it in California, land of promise. Cali- 
fornia proved to have suitable soil and climate, and 
alfalfa throve there astonishingly. Gold could not 
always be found with pick and shovel, it could with- 
out fail be found by alfalfa roots. For the first time 
in its history alfalfa became a great crop and men 
began to plant it largely. to talk of it and write of it. 
Probably no one knows more of the early history 
of alfalfa in California than E. J. Wickson, Director 
of the California experiment station and dean of the 
agricultural college. fy letter to him containing 
questiors and his answers thereto is presented: 
I am delighted that you will undertake to help me in my alfalfa 
investigations. I know of no man better fitted than you. The 
points I particularly wish to know are not very difficult of answer. 
Question: On what date did the real introduction of alfalfa in 
California take place, and where was it sown? 
Answer: I have record of sowing alfalfa by W. E. Cameron, 
