1906.] ALFALFA IX CONNECTICUT. 225 



shows, he can only succeed with alfalfa by taking the greatest 

 care in selecting his land, in fitting it for the crop, and in caring 

 for it after planting. If he succeeds fully he will be very 

 richly repaid for his work. If he does not make a great suc- 

 cess he will make a pretty thorough failure. 



In the first place, the very poorest land will not grow alfalfa. 

 It has got to have a fairly deep soil without a hard-pan under- 

 neath. It cannot live in standing water for any length of time, 

 nor will it endure drought. 



A well-drained but not a very dry field is essential. If 

 not naturally a lime soil, a heavy dressing of lime in some 

 shape is required in the beginning, and a top-dressing of lime 

 or ashes from time to time. 1,500 to 2,000 pounds of lime 

 kiln ashes or of stone lime is not too much. Alfalfa is a lime- 

 loving plant. Potash salts and bone may also be used when 

 fitting the land. 



Equally important is it to get the land as clear as can be of 

 weeds. Alfalfa is sure to fail on weedy land. Once estab- 

 lished and growing thriftily after the first year it will choke 

 out weeds, but in the first summer weeds will easily choke 

 alfalfa. If land is not clean in the spring, it will pay better to 

 summer fallow and sow alfalfa in August than to invite failure 

 on such land by spring seeding. August is a better time to seed 

 than spring because the summer weeds slacken their growth 

 from then on, while alfalfa thrives until hard frost. 



A proper seeding is not less than 20 pounds, and I believe 

 30 pounds is better when not less than 90 per cent, of the seeds 

 germinate. It is essential to get at the start a perfect seeding. 

 You cannot mend or patch it later. 



And lastly, as regards preparation of land — what about 

 inoculation? To succeed with alfalfa the soil tnust contain the. 

 microbe, which by its housekeeping with the plant makes possi- 

 ble the fixing of free nitrogen. That is absolutely certain. It 

 may be in the soil to start with, it may be introduced at seeding 

 time by inoculation of the soil or of the seed, but in one way or 

 another the particular nitrogen-gathering microbe which asso- 

 ciates with this particular plant must be there, or the crop is 

 doomed to failure. 



Some soils naturally contain this organism apparently. At 

 least, alfalfa sown without any intentional inoculation does 



Agr. — 15 



