30 The West American Scientist. 
SOME NATIVE FORAGE PLANTS” OF SOUTE- 
ERN CALIFORNIA. 
A. feature of the Paris Exposition, apanet the first of May this 
year, is a display of the native forage plants of the United States, 
with such notes on each species as were available. As the editor 
was called upon for material and information concerning the for- 
age plants of Southern California, and especially concerning the 
burr clover and alfilaria, we have prepared the following notes, 
which we should be pleased to have su gle ene by any of our 
readers. 
ALFILARIA. 
Spanish or pinclover, more generally known as alfilaria or ‘fil- 
aree,’is now abundant throughout Southern California and south- 
ward in Northern Lower California. It is supposed to be a native 
of Southern Europe, but must early have been introduced into 
this country by the Spaniards, if not, as some contend it is, in- 
digenous to our soil. There are two species popularly included — 
under this name, Erodium cicutarium, L’ Her., and E. moschat- 
um, L’Her., of botanists, belonging to the geranium family. 
The latter species has less finely divided leaves, and is more ro- 
bust and rank in its growth, but both species may usually be 
found growing together. 
It is a valuable forage plant for the dry regions of the west, 
and may be found in equal abundance in the valleys, and on the 
table lands or mesas. _In even the driest seasons it does not fail 
to mature its seed, thus being prepared for a more favorable 
year, by husbanding its resources and utilizing the little moisture 
at its command, content to flower and mature its seed when 
scarce an inch high if necessary. In favorable seasons and locali- 
ties it attains a height of two to three feet or more, deferring the 
act of fruiting until the last thing. 
A quantity of this plant was gathered to’ dry for the Paris Ex- 
position in the last of February, before it had thought it neces- 
sary to flower. But little time remained for it to reach its desti- 
nation and we could not wait for it to attain the proper condition. 
Owing to the abundant rains, the season was especially favorable 
to vegetation. The alfilaria plants were cut off at the roots and 
placed in the hot sun away from the ground todry. But they 
were not inclined to adapt themselves to our wishes. The leaves 
independently persisted in remaining as bright as ever, erecting 
themselves partly in the hot sun, only a few of the older, lower 
leaves even wilting. The plants promptly realized the change i in 
their conditions and began flowering profusely and holding up 
well developed seed heads to the sun, determined to mature all 
the seed they had intended to produce, and so they lost the one 
opportunity for visiting the brilliant French capital ! 
Alfilaria is unwilling to be made hay of before it is ready, and 
