MEDICAGO FALCATA, A YELLOW-FLOWERED ALFALFA. 49 
cata per pound and only 200,000 to 250,000 seeds of Medicago sativa 
per pound. However, this difference in the size of the seed does not 
apparently affect the quantity necessary to produce a stand of plants 
in the field to the extent that theoretically might be expected. 
YIELDS OF HAY. 
A correct estimate of the yield of hay of Medicago falcata com- 
pared with that of Medicago sativa is difficult to make. The actual 
production is more nearly the same for the two species than are the 
yields obtained by ordinary methods of harvesting, owing to the 
failure of the mowing machine to cut all the procumbent or de- 
cumbent stems of the latter. Yields of hay have been obtained from 
a large number of individual plants cut with a hand sickle, but only 
a few data are available on yields from field plats harvested by ma- 
chinery. The yields presented in Table VIII were obtained from 
tenth-acre broadcast plats at Brookings. 
TABLE VIII.—Yields of alfalfa obtained from tenth-acre broadcast plats, Brook- 
ings, S. Dak., 1910 to 1913, inclusive. 
Calculated yield per acre (in pounds) based on actual yields from tenth-acre plats. 
1910 1911 1912 1913 
Species.} |] | a oS 
Cuttings. Cuttings. Cuttings. Cuttings. yield, 
To- To- To- To-| all 
tal tal. tal tal. | years. 
1 2 2 1 2 3 1 2|3 
Medicago sativa r 
Grimms eee ee 1,560) 850/2, 410)1, 070 g 1, 070/4, 280/2, 140 2, 600)9, 020/1, 120/1, 860] 3803, 360) 3,965 
DOR eae werns 00} 520/2,020) 860) @ 860)4, 120|2, 780/2, 210/9, 910|1, 450)1, 660] 280 3,390 3. 845 
Common.......... 1,050 560 1,610)1, 010} (2) {1,010)4, 080)2, 960/1, 780/8, 820)1, 400)1, 770} 6103, 780] 3,805 
Turkestan........-. 1,310] 730]/2,040/ 900) (2) | 900/4,050)/2, 420)1, 410)7, 880)2, 800/1, 250) 530)4,580] 3,850 
Medicago falcata: 
Seo dls HOA Sop see 1,650] (2) {1,650} 270} (2) | 270/2,681) (2) | (2) |2,681)/1, 710} (2) | (2) |1,710| 1,577 
S. P. I, 244523._... 2, 780| (2) |2, 780} 880) (2) | 880)4,819) (2) | (2) |4,819/2, 720} (2) | (2) |2,720} 2,799 
1 All plats sown in 1909 under similar conditions. 2 No second or third crop secured. 
3 Yield in 1910 considerably increased by weeds. 
It is clearly shown in Table VIII that the average yield of Medi- 
cago falcata is appreciably lower than the yields of the varieties of 
Medicago satwa. Only during the unfavorable years of 1910 and 
1911 did the former equal or approach the latter in total hay produc- 
tion, and this was due largely to the growth of weeds that developed in 
the plats. In 1910 a very light second cutting of Grimm, common, 
and ‘Turkestan alfalfas was obtained, but in 1911 only one cutting 
was secured. 
In years that are favorable for the production of only one crop, 
the best hay forms of I/edicago falcata may produce as heavy yields 
