34 BULLETIN 428, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
it is probably utilized at the present time more than ever before in 
Europe and Asia, but wholly as a wild plant on the ranges and in 
pastures. According to Hansen (26, p. 12), it is attracting attention 
as a range plant in European Russia. Meyer is authority for the 
statement that the Kalmucks and Sarts in Chinese Turkestan gather 
it, together with other wild plants, as hay for horses and cattle. 
Nilsson indicates that it is utilized quite abundantly in Sweden as a 
wild pasture plant on dry, sandy land. It is reasonable to conclude, 
therefore, that its value has long been recognized in the agriculture 
of Europe and Asia. Farther on in this paper some of the reasons 
for its present agricultural status will be discussed. 
COMMON NAMES. 
While various common names have been applied to Medicago 
falcata, unfortunately there is none that is without somewhat serious 
objections. The most satisfactory name that suggests itself and 
the one that is most commonly used in this country is “ yellow- 
flowered alfalfa.” The chief objection to this name lies in the fact 
that it is not distinctive, there being other fairly distinct species of 
Medicago belonging to the alfalfa group that have yellow flowers. 
However, J/edicago falcata is the most promising member of the 
yellow-flowered group from a forage standpoint, and it is quite 
probable that the common name “ yellow-flowered alfalfa” will be 
generally adopted for it. The name “sickle-podded alfalfa ” has 
been occasionally used, but it is cumbersome and harsh sounding. 
“Siberian alfalfa” meets with objections because the species is by - 
no means confined to Siberia in its natural range. Meyer? writes 
that— 
In the southern and central Provinces of Russia and more especially along 
the Volga River, this wild lucern is called Burgoon. In western Siberia a 
number of names are in use among the farmers, like Sholty lucern, Sholty 
klever, Sholty weeseel, and Deekii lucern. These mean, respectively, yellow 
alfalfa, yellow clover, yellow vetch, and wild alfalfa. The second name, how- 
ever, applies also to various species of Melilotus, while the third one is given 
‘to Lathyrus pratensis. The German settlers in the Caucasus in southern Rus- 
sia and in western Siberia call this wild alfalfa invariably ‘“ steinklee,” meaning 
stone clover, or if one gives the word stein a wider meaning, wild clover. In 
Chinese Turkestan the Turki people call this plant ‘‘ Tagh-beda,” and it seems 
very likely that the Germans have simply translated this name, since these 
hardy and industrious settlers have always come much in contact with Tar- 
tars and Kirghiz, who all speak Turki dialects. The Dsungans, in Chinese 
Turkestan, who are Chinese who have become Mohammedans, give Medicago 
falcata the name of “San musu,’ which means mountain alfalfa or wild 
alfalfa. The name ‘“ musu”’ is, however, applied to several trifoliate plants in 
the same way the average person uses the word clover for many widely dis- 
1In an unpublished report on file in the United States Department of Agriculture. 
