The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-21
ALFALFA.
It's History, Characteristic and Gull
ture.
BY PROF. C. c. GEoReEsoN.


BY PROF. c. C. GEoRGEsoN.
From the Ell Dorado Republican.
This new fodder plant-new to US here
in the VESTS as old as the hills. 1t has
been traced back to the ancient king
doms of Media and Persia, whence, ac-
cording to DE Candolle. it was brought
to Greece during the Persian war, about
40 years before the Christian era. From
Greece it spread to Rome and became
an important factor in the agriculture
of the ancient Romans. 1t is mentioned
by Varro, Columella and Virgil. 1t be-
came established about the opening of
the Christian era, not only in Italy, but
the Romans carried 1t to the provinces
they conquered. 1t was brought to France
and became very common In Spain and
Portugal, and wherever the enterprising
Romans became fully established it fol-
lowed as an indispensable adjunct 10
the agriculture. When the Roman en-
pire fell, it too, ceased to spread. For
thousand years it was perpetrated In
southern Europe, chiefly Italy and Spain,
unknown TO the rest of the civilized world.
Finally, when South America was colo
nized by the Spaniards and Portuguese,
in was by them brought TO the New
World and soon became established in
their settlements, especially along the
La Plata and in Chill, and it is said that
il was first brought TO the United States
California; from the latter country. 1t
meets with favor wherever the condi-
tons are suitable for its growth, and is
now slowly but surely working its way
10 the front on our Kansas farms.
Thu botanical mama .af alfalfa ic Mod
cage Saliva, so named BIZ the great
Swede linnaeus. The common name in
this country and in parts Of Spain is
alfalfa, name which is supposed TO be
of Arabic origin, but in most other Euro
pean countries it is called Iucern. iucerne
or luzerne, presumably from the valley
of Lucerne IN Piedmont, where it has
been extensively grown.
Alfalfa bears some resemblance TO
clover. and Is therefore often called al
falfa clover by the farmer. Like the
clover it belongs TO the natural family
legumivosae, and has the characteristic
pea blossom and three cleft leaf; the
leaflets. however are narrower and
more pointed than those of the cto-
yer. The stem Is upxight and reaches,
on good soil, a foot and half or two
feet. the flowers blue and root perennial,
almost everlasting, AID will 90 down III
porous soil to great depths: fifteen 10
twenty feet Is not an uncommon depth
for them 10 60. and have heard at least
one cultivator, in sober earnest, state
that be had trsced them along the banks
of sream 10 the depth OF thirty feet
Alfalfa does not spread or tilier; each
SQUAD seed viii produce one plant and
that plant does not spread or run unless
il happens 70 drop seeds that may take
root
lis culture Is very simple: oslce essab-
sisised Is consists Ia harvesting the crop
three on four times during the season and
for the rest OF the rear 10 leave Is -
itself. There are, howsysF, q few points
that should he noticed ia regard - ~
growth Il cauaOf tsr grDasi sslreessfus
il osi all soils insiiscriininafeIy. Il does
test on a rich sol some What sandy. wisis
a deep E-arogls asslsosl. and il grows and
yields II IropersioH ~ BE spsE lssssesses
saes< qualities Il viii nosn grow 9a ;
sell ssstls : hard pan sats.sii which The
ioots Sannet penssxats. shuugl Is sass