86 



Lucerne and Trefoil Seed. 



[may, 



under such favourable conditions it is not surprising that its 

 growth is both luxuriant and lasting, for when once thoroughly 

 established it readily withstands the severest drought, and pro- 

 duces an abundant feed. After the first year it may be cut 

 three or four times during the season. Moreover, it is especially 

 worth cultivating, as both horses and dairy cattle eat it with 

 avidity. 



Lucerne, whether sown alone for cutting or in mixtures for 

 permanent pastures, is also specially valuable for the twofold 

 reason that, as a leguminous plant, it ver}^ materially aids in 

 the conservation of soil nitrogen, and that, as it is a very deep- 

 rooting plant, it taps an otherwise inert store of fertility which 

 lies deep down beyond the reach of ordinary agricultural 

 plants. 



The advantage of growing lucerne within easy reach of the 

 farm buildings is manifest, for it is essentially a crop to be cut 

 and carried, depasturing being, in a sense, inimical to its per- 

 manence, as when too closely eaten by sheep the young buds 

 at the base, which would ultimately form new branches, are 

 destroyed. 



The seeds of lucerne, owing to the peculiar twisted character 

 of the seed -pod, are perhaps more irregular in shape than the 

 •seeds of any other cultivated clover. 



From the somewhat general similarity in outline (though not 

 in size) between the seeds of lucerne {Medicago sativa) and other 

 species of the same genus, viz., trefoil or black medick {^Medicago 

 liipulina)^ spotted m^(X\Q}^ {^Medicago macidata), and denticulate 

 medick {Medicago denticulaid), it has been thought desirable 

 to include several micro-photographs (Figs. 1-4) of the same 

 magnification, so that the variations in shape and size of indi- 

 vidual seeds of the same sample, as well as the differences 

 between seeds of one sample and another, may be readily seen. 

 In each pod there are several seeds of lucerne, and these are 

 yellowish-brown or green in colour, the surface being smooth 

 and dull. All samples contain a varying proportion of kidney- 

 shaped seeds, as well as seeds irregular and angular in outline. 

 Though some of the smaller irregular seeds bear a certain re- 

 semblance to the seeds of red clover, those accustomed to 

 handling the^e .seeds have no difificuLty whatever in distinguish- 



