224 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



the attempts to establish it as a regular forage crop of Canada 

 have not been very successful. 



In New York, reports from 86 growers of alfalfa showed 

 that in a very severe winter 67 per cent, of the crops were more 

 or less damaged and 33 per cent, were not. The damage was 

 most common on heavy lands. 



A small patch of Turkestan alfalfa on the Station grounds, 

 drilled in in the spring of 1904, in a rather exposed situation, 

 • and which grew feebly that year, though kept clean of weeds, 

 was given a light mulch of stable manure in the late fall and 

 came through the very severe winter of 1904- 1905 with abso- 

 lutely no damage and did extremely well this last summer. 



I believe that alfalfa will stand ordinary winters in most 

 parts of this State with the little mulch that the fall growth 

 gives it, that it will stand very severe winters if covered with 

 snow, but may not if the ground is bare, and that a light mulch 

 of long manure in the early winter is a desirable thing as a sort 

 of insurance against winter-killing. It also greatly favors the 

 increase of the bacteria of the soil on which the success of the 

 crop depends, and in this way, as well as a direct fertilizer, 

 pays for itself. 



We have had trouble and, I believe, if it is generally grown 

 there will be general trouble during the winter from the attacks 

 of field mice, especially where it is under deep snow or other 

 heavy mulch. The mice are fond of the large roots and eat 

 out their crowns, thus killing many of the best plants. 



It remains to say something about the fitting of an alfalfa 

 field and its care. 



A very erroneous impression has been widely spread lately 

 regarding the possibilities of alfalfa culture. Magazine articles 

 regarding the artificial inoculation of land and the advertise- 

 ments of firms who offer inoculating material have given the 

 impression that very recent discoveries had made it possible 

 for the farmer, simply by inoculating his field with a labora- 

 tory preparation, to ensure success with almost any legume 

 crop, enrich his land, and at the same time get large crops of 

 very rich fodder. In short, to sit still and get rich ; to get a 

 good deal for nothing. This may work for a time in life in- 

 surance, but not in farming. 



The truth is that he may succeed with alfalfa if he is skillful 

 and fortunate. But in this State, at least, as our experience 



