MEDICAGO FALCATA, A YELLOW-FLOWERED ALFALFA. 51 
TABLE IX.—Chemical analyses of Medicago falcata and Medicago sativa. 
Chemical composition on water-free basis (per cent). 
Species and S. P. I. No. Group. cee 
j Ash Ether Protein Crude ‘ itee te 
extract. fiber. extract! 
Medicago falcata: 
PAUP NU ee ters oie se A ea eee 1 8. 90 2:97 21.61 21.51 44.99 
DLO RE ee AIO oat ees ee gars Sia mrerasitie Sie 1 9.75 2.14 19. 62 29.19 39. 27 
A) PLS HOS ROR ee PE PY intel ais Bats ieee ool 2 7.80 1.63 17.60 33.77 39.17 
AAD DE eerie Pan We ame fate aeayare a sila. 2 b)e 2 8.13 1.81 16. 02 36. 98 7.03 
PAN OAUE Prateek 3 ead Ae a pee ae eee 3 8. 64 1.51 17.65 33.14 39. 04 
eran crac Migs erie hoe a Baan ahi f 3 10. 10 1.54 18. 26 30. 38 39.70 
TOE cee Noe ayer: Eee tte c crahe. ce ttok eee oes 3 9.35 1.70 19. 94 33.81 35.17 
Pas Uf) Oar A ene a ee the ae oe a 3 7. 84 2.30 17. 21 31.96 40. 67 
Medicago sativa: 
‘Awerarevol 2iisamplesi2: ieee so 2 secre oles Se ee 8.07 2.40 15. 61 27.40 46.61 
1 Analyses made in the Miscellaneous Laboratory of the Bureau of Chemistry, Department of Agriculture. 
2 From Farmers’ Bulletin 339, p. 28. 
The analyses indicate a remarkable uniformity in the chemical 
composition of the various forms of Medicago falcata and a some- 
what higher protein content than is found in the average of 21 sam- 
ples of Medicago sativa: ‘The relatively large proportion, by 
weight, of leaves to stem and the degree to which the leaves are 
retained on the cured plant doubtless have a bearing on this point. 
The fresh leaves of practically all the forms of Medicago falcata 
are rather bitter, and this characteristic may affect to some extent 
their palatability, and incidentally their feeding value. Observa- 
tions, however, indicate that animals eat the hay with avidity, and 
Meyer is of the opinion that the hay is even more palatable than 
that made from common alfalfa. The percentage of crude fiber in 
the suberect forms of the species is appreciably higher than in varie- 
ties of Medicago sativa and doubtless reduces their nutritive value 
to some extent. | 
Summing up the evidence briefly, it is reasonable to conclude that 
Medicago falcata is a highly nutritious forage plant and approxi- 
mately equal to common alfalfa in feeding value. 
CULTURAL INVESTIGATIONS. 
Strictly speaking, the cultural investigations that have been con- 
ducted with Medicago falcata have not been extensive, owing partly 
to an insufficient supply of seed for large plantings and partly to 
the fact that other lines of investigation have been, and still are, 
considered of much more importance. Broadcast seeding in rows 
sufficiently spaced for cultivation and seeding and transplanting 
in widely spaced hills have been tested and the behavior of the 
various forms of the species observed under these conditions. In 
each case comparisons with common alfalfa were made as fully as 
possible. 
