I 



15 



ALABAMA. 



Cdiichrake E.vpvriinent Station, Uniontoirn. 



The Turkestan alfalfa was planted in March, 1899, and cut for hay three times 

 during the season. It stood the dry fall and winter freezes fairly well, but not 

 so well as our common Medicago sativa. The plat is now (March 2H, 1900) in a 

 flourishing condition with plants about 8 inches high, which ^\^ll be ready to 

 cut for hay in about fifteen days.— H. Benton, Director. 



CALIFORNIA. 



State Experiment Station, Berkeley. 



Seed of Turkestan alfalfa sent to the California Experiment Station by the 

 Section of Seed and Plant Introduction, Department of Agriculture, was for- 

 warded by me to the substations and also planted at the Central Station. This, 

 was in March, 1898. The season was dry. to very dry, throughout California, 

 and even in favorable seasons alfalfa should be planted in the autumn, A\'ith the 

 first rains, or not later than January. 



At the Central Station the seed was sown on good soil and had more rainfall 

 than at other places. The Turkestan variety showed no especial peculiarity iu 

 the season's growth, excepting that it was more compact than other alfalfa. 



The seed sent to the Amador County substation (elevation 2,000 feet) in the 

 Sierra foothills gi-ew excellently without irrigation, but was badly eaten down 

 by rabbits. 



At Pomona in the Chino Valley, Los Angeles County, the Turkestan alfalfa 

 was tested on alkali soil and on arid, sandy soil. In both of these localities it 

 proved superior in drought resistance to the common variety. 



The best test of this alfalfa was at Paso Robles substation, San Luis Obispo 

 County. The total rainfall of season was about 5 inches, distance to water 

 nearly 200 feet, and the soil shallow and very poor, on deep hardpan. The only 

 two species of forage plants which endured these conditions and remained green 

 during the summer without irrigation were Turkestan alfalfa and Australian 

 saltbush {Atriplex semibaccata) . The latter made growth and furnished more 

 fodder, but the former promises well and deserves much more extended trial 

 under similar conditions.— C. H. Shinn, Inspector of Stations. 



COLORADO. 



state Experiment Station, Fort Collins. 



Of the Turkestan alfalfa furnished by the Department of Agriculture last sea- 

 son most was distributed by Professor Cooke of the Agricultural section. Some 

 was tried at the substation at Rocky Ford and at Cheyenne Wells. A good part 

 of the seed was sown on the elevated ridge between the Arkansas and Platte 

 rivers known as the Divide. The results have been rather negative, that is, 

 the plant has not been especially better than our alfalfa, which is the common 

 plant grown in Colorado under irrigation. It was a poor stand at Cheyenne 

 Wells which is not irrigated and did not do so well on the Divide, which is also 

 without irrigation.— L. G. Carpenter, Director and Irrigation Engineer. 



CONNECTICUT. 



Storrs Experiment Station, Storrs. 



The Turkestan alfalfa received from the Section of Seed and Plant Introduc- 

 tion was sown April 21, 1898. The soil is a medium heavy loam, with good 

 natural drainage. The land was plowed, harrowed, and raked before seeding. 

 For several years previously the plat of ground had been fertilized, mainly with 

 mineral fertilizers. Method of Seeding: Oats were first sown at the rate of 

 about 2i bushels per acre (designed as a protective crop), the alfalfa seed was 

 sown on a fine seed beed, immediately after sowing the oats, at the rate of about 

 50 pounds per acre. The oats and alfalfa both germinated well and made a 

 good growth for two or three weeks. We had a severe drought, lasting from 

 the early part of May till after the middle of June, and during this period the 

 alfalfa made a very slow growth. The oats were cut ofl: rather high June 15, 

 and again July 18. The weeds by this time had become quite thick, and owing 

 to the weak condition of the alfalfa ])lants. most of them died out during the 

 latter part of the summer.— C. S. Phelps, Vice- Director. 



