72 



THE BOOK OF USEFUL PLANTS 



ALFALFA 



" Lucerne" is another name by which this won- 

 derful clover-like plant is called in Europe, but in 

 America we call it by the Arabic name, "alfalfa," 

 which means "the best fodder." That name 

 describes it exactly, for no other plant yields as 

 much and as good hay. 



All the western half of the United States grows 

 alfalfa. The plant has brought under cultivation 

 land supposed to be too dry to grow any farm 

 crop. No matter if the region has scant rainfall. 

 The farmer cultivates the land carefully, prepara- 

 tory to seeding. He may scatter soil from another 

 alfalfa field on his own to inoculate the soil. He 

 will scatter plaster on the land to sweeten any sour 

 patches. Then he sows the alfalfa, and may mow 

 it when the plants are several inches high to get 

 rid of the weeds and to induce the alfalfa plants to 

 "stool." They send up a good many supple- 

 mentary branches, which choke out weeds, and 

 cover the ground, producing an abundance of 

 leaves. 



The root does the most wonderful thing. It is a 

 strong tap root, and it goes down for water. Its 

 many branches penetrate the soil, loosening it, 

 and making it spongy, and able to hold the 



