78 | ASSEMBLY 
highly esteemed in the south of Europe, as well as in Chili, Peru and 
Brazil, from whence it was apparently sent to this country before 
1850, under the name of Brazilian clover. The seeds, under the name 
of lucerne, reached the United States as early as 1800, about which 
time Chancellor Livingstone tried it at his estate at Clermont, Colum- 
bia county, N. Y., and in 1824 some specimens were sown’ near 
_ Boston, which maintained themselves for many years. The seeds of 
alfalfa, from Chili, were distributed from the United States patent 
office in 1853, and alfalfa is now reported as being the favorite grass 
of California, and as also succeeding well in Nevada, Nebraska, U tah 
and Colorado. Although a plant of warm climate, yet under favor- 
able circumstances of soil it seems to do well even as far north as this 
State ; but it requires a deep, loose, sandy soil, and to be kept free 
from weeds. 
When cut early before the stalks become woody, it affords a nutritious 
hay, well spoken of by all writers on agriculture, for the feeding of 
milch cows and horses. ‘The analyses by Ritthausen of plants grown 
at Mockern give the following results : 
Nitrogen Non Nitrogen Woody 
Water. substance. substance. fiber. Ash. 
Before bloom........ 81-9: 6-2 6-0 4-0 1-0 
Beginning of bloom.. 72-5 4.9 6-0 13-4 2-4 
The ash analysis by Anderson gives 2-49 per cent of ash, containing 
7-80 per cent of phosphoric acid and 33-16 per cent of potash together 
with 14.02 per cent of chloride of potassium. | 
There seem to be several varieties of lucerne. The alfalfa, as grown 
at the Station, scarcely differs from lucerne. Afghan lucerne is 
described by Gould as somewhat larger in growth and earlier than Iu- 
cerne, but soon becoming indistinguishable from the common kind. 
Brazilian clover seems to be but a name under which seed of alfalfa 
was distributed. 
THE RELATION OF SEED To QUALITY IN FRUITS. 
In founding a science the first attempt must be the collecting of facts 
upon which hypotheses may be formulated for the purpose of suggest- 
ing the laws which apply, and which hypotheses are to be retained 
until, after serving their purpose, they give place to theories. Thus, . 
in studying the laws which affect vegetable reproduction, form, and 
quality, we must secure various facts which, however unimportant they 
seem by themselves, yet must possess values in their relations. It 
seems probable, almost certain, indeed, that every change in a plant 
produced by art is followed by various collateral changes which tend 
to mask influences, and which perhaps can be used to measure the. 
potency of influences. Goethe and St. Hilaire a long time ago formu- 
lated a law that nature spares in one direction in order to expend in 
another. Thus, then, in gaining potency of fruit we should expect 
weakness in seed, in exaggeration of bulb, a deficiency in leaf, ete. 
For illustration, the Baldwin apple as compared with the wild fruit is 
nearly seedless. ‘The ornamental beet, with enormous leaf-stalk and 
leaf, has but a small root as compared with the garden beet. 
