民国时期方志中的苜蓿考

Textual research on alfalfa in local records of the Minguo period

方志是记载一个地区自然和社会各个方面历史和现状的综合性著作,苜蓿作为民国时期的重要物产资源被许多方志记录在册。本研究试图以植物考据学原理与方法,对华东、华北和西北等地诸省的56个方志中的苜蓿进行考查。结果表明,民国时期我国华东、华北和西北都有苜蓿种植,主要分布在安徽、江苏、山东、察哈尔、河北、山西、陕西、宁夏、甘肃、青海和新疆;许多方志还对苜蓿植物生态学特征进行了描述,对苜蓿种分的较为清晰,在民国时期河北种有紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)和黄花苜蓿(M.falcata),而山东既种有紫花苜蓿与黄花苜蓿,还种有南苜蓿(M.hispida);苜蓿常常被种于碱地进行肥田;苜蓿不仅是饲喂牛马的重要牧草资源,而且也是重要的蔬菜资源,还是很好的蜜源植物。

Local records of government agencies are a valuable source of information about natural and social history and can help to understand the present situation of the region they pertain to.Alfalfa as an important agricultural crop,alfalfa use was listed in many local records of the Minguo period（1912-1949）,We obtained and assessed 56 local admistrative records,dating from the Minguo period,of alfalfa use in provinces of East China,North China and Northwest China.The records showed that alfalfa was widely planted in east China,north China and northwest China in the Minguo period.The most extensive use was in Anhui,Jiangsu,Shandong,Chahar,Hebei,Shanxi,Shaanxi,Ningxia,Gansu,Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces.Alfalfa＇s ecological characteristics were described in many of the records.It was clear that different Medicago species were planted in different regions.For example,Medicago sativa and M.falcata were typically planted in Hebei province;M.sativa,M.falcata and M.hispida were planted in Shandong Province.Alfalfa can be used on a range of land classes from alkaline soils to fertilized alluvial or loessial soils,and is an important crop resource.Alfalfa is also an excellent honey plant.