California Alfalfa Products Co. - 1922 dated Stock Certificate

Stock printed by Chipron Stamp Co., L.A. Alfalfa, known as lucerne in various regions, is a perennial flowering species belonging to the legume family Fabaceae. This plant is widely cultivated as a significant forage crop across numerous countries. It serves multiple purposes, including grazing, hay production, and silage, in addition to functioning as a green manure and cover crop. In North America, the term alfalfa is predominantly used, whereas lucerne is the preferred nomenclature in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The plant bears a resemblance to clover, particularly in its juvenile stage, characterized by trifoliate leaves with rounded leaflets. As it matures, the leaflets become elongated. Alfalfa produces clusters of small purple flowers, which give way to fruits that spiral in two to three turns, containing between 10 and 20 seeds. This species is indigenous to warmer temperate regions and has been utilized as livestock feed since the times of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.