The Arizona sentinel., 1903-07-22
HISTORY OF ALFALFA
Paper by w. J. SpilIman, U. s. De-
 partment of Agriculture

The name alfalfa is of Arabic origin and has perslstently fol lowed the plant throughout Latin America and into those parts of America in winch the Spaniards introduced it. The plant is not unknown in the eastern United States, having been introduced number of times from western Europe, particularly ly fro m France, where it is known as 'lucerne, but it has never gain ed a foothold in the East, at least until the past few years. It is now being introduced under it's proper name alfalfa" At pre- sent there is a genuine craze among the farmers of the east ern half of the United States concerning this plant and some of its more important varieties. It will undoubtedly become the leading hay crop of the East in those sections where soil and climate favor it's development.
 Alfalfa has always been the standard hay crop of arid Amer ica, where 1t is grown almost exclusively under irrigation. In those parts of the irrigated section where the soil and eli are favorable alfalfa is indeed a marvellous plant. In Southern California, where irrigation wa ter is plentiful and intelligently applied, five crops of hay are cut ir a single season, while as far north as Central Washington three good crops are secured, and, in exceptional seasons, four.
 Unfortunately, alfalfa is some what particular as regards soil and climate. From it's habit of growth it is not suitable to heavy clay soils, or soils under laid by heavy clay hardpan. Its roots penetrate very deeply, and if the soil is of proper texture it is no uncommon thing for the root to penetrate the soil from eleven to twenty feet. In excep tional instances the roots have been known to penetrate the soil more than hundred feet. This great depth of root enables alfalfa to draw up great stores of plant food that are unavailable to ordinary crops and gives it great longevity. Many alfalfa fields in the west are yielding good crops of hay after having been cut for p years. It is sel- dom wise to leave a field so long as this, because plants will be killed out here and there by tramping, making the stand  thinner and thinner, and allow ing weeds to get a start; but as long as the stand is good and the weeds do not bother there is no object in blowing up an alfal ia field.
 For it's best development this crop requires deep sandy loam free from standing water within several feet of the surface; abun- dant water to be preferably applied at stated intervals by irrigation, in not too large quantities; long hot summers and winters not too severe. Where these conditions exist al falfa has no competitor as a hay producer, but it will thrive on d good many types of soil; in fact almost anywhere except in stiff  clays, light dry sands and wet soils. The great value of alfalfa lies in its great yielding power, its palatability to stock and the large amount of nitrogen it con- tains. Most of the hay crops of this country contain too little nitrogen and it is necessary for the stockman to make up this deficiency by buying expensive mill products, such as cottonseed meal, linseed oil cake, etc. Al falfa is one of those plants which draw large amount of nitrogen from the atmosphere. It en- riches the ground on which it grows as far as nitrogen is con- cerned, and it has been found that, almost without exception,