DISTRIBUTION OF THE SEED. 

 (See Table I. ) 



In 1898 and 1899, 1,111 packages of the seed of Turkestan alfalfa, 

 of from 2i- to 20 pounds each, were distributed by the Secretary of 

 Agriculture through the Section of Seed and Plant Introduction of 

 the Division of Botany and through this Division. This distribution 

 included experimenters in forty-seven States and Territories. Un- 

 fortunately, owing to the primitive conditions prevailing in the 

 region in which the seed was collected, it was not clean when pur- 

 chased, and had to be carefully inspected and freed from all weed 

 seeds before being distributed. This occasioned such a delay in 

 sending the seed out that for most localities it was too late for spring 

 sowing. Many experimenters planted the seed immediately upon 

 receiving it, and thus subjected the young and tender plants to the 

 dry, hot summer weather, which in many cases killed the alfalfa, as 

 the roots had not a sufficiently strong hold on the ground to enable 

 them to withstand the drought. Some have been holding the seed 

 for a favorable season in which to sow, and have not yet planted it, 

 but expect to do so the present season. 



As this variety of alfalfa was introduced especially for the semiarid 

 regions, the largest consignments of seed were sent to the following 

 States: California, 48 packages; Colorado, 77; Idaho, 21; Kansas, 

 97; Montana, 38; Nebraska, 49; New Mexico, 30; North Dakota, 

 26; Oklahoma, 37; Oregon, 27; South Dakota, 20; Texas, 318; 

 Washington, 28; and Wyoming, 21, The number of experimenters 

 to whom seed was sent in each of the States and Territories and the 

 number and character of the reports received are given in Table I. 



REPORTS RECEIVED FROM VOLUNTEER EXPERIMENTERS. 



A total of 466 reports have been received, and of this number 237 

 are satisfactory and 229 unsatisfactory. (See Table I.) A report 

 in this experiment has been termed "unsatisfactory" unless the 

 Turkestan alfalfa has proved in some quality to be superior to the 

 common alfalfa. Included in the 229 unsatisfactory reports are 76 

 which state that owing to the seed being received too late in the 

 season, or because of the unfavorable weather or conditions, it has 

 not yet been planted. 



