Also 7 luceran, 8–9 lusern(e, 9 luzern. [a. F. luzerne (16th c.), in Cotgr. also luserne, ad. mod.Pr. luzerno of unascertained etym. Cf. F. lauserne, lauserte, ‘Shrub Trefoile, Milke Trefoile, Citisus Bush’ (Cotgr.). In Eng. agricultural books of 17th and 18th c. the word constantly occurs as la lucerne, with the Fr. article prefixed.] The leguminous plant Medicago sativa, resembling clover, cultivated for fodder; purple medick.
Native or Paddy Lucerne = Queensland hemp, Sida rhombifolia (Morris, Austral Eng.).
1626. A. Speed, Adam out of E., v. (1659), 38. Clovergrass … is a grass very hardy, not much inferior to Luceran.
1649. Blithe, Eng. Improv. Impr. (1653), 186. Chap. xxvii Speaks of the usage of St. Foyne and La-lucern.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 31. It is not so good as La Lucerne … only this will grow on drier and poorer Land than Lucern.
1733. Tull, Horse-Hoeing Husb., xv. (Dubl.), 200. La Luserne is that famous Herba Medica so much Extoll’d by the Ancients. Ibid., 201. Luserne in Grass is much sweeter than St. Foin.
1762. Gentl. Mag., 262. One acre of Lucerne can maintain three or four horses.
1817–8. Cobbett, Resid. U.S. (1822), 5. Warm and fine. Grass pushes on. Saw some Luserne in a warm spot, 8 inches high.
1844. Stephens, Bk. Farm, II. 552. Lucern.—This kind of forage plant has never been successfully cultivated in Scotland, nor has it taken much hold in England.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), II. 25. Lucern is much superior to clover for soiling milch cows.
1873. Browning, Red Cott. Nt.-cap., I. 25. All its growth unsheaved Of emerald luzern bursting into blue.
1883. V. Stuart, Egypt, 136. After the cotton is gathered we immediately sow lucerne.
b. attrib., as lucerne field, grass, paddock, seed.
1724. Act 11 Geo. I., c. 7 (Bk Rates), Seed, vocat Lucerne Seed the C. wt. 0. 10. 0.
1733. Tull, Horse-Hoeing Husb., xv. 201. Tho’ one Luserne Root be much more taper than another. Ibid., 211. Luserne Plants.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 318. Lucern Grass, Medicago.
1890. ‘Rolf Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 125. An old working bullock in a lucerne field. Ibid., 218. A lucerne paddock.
