I 



17 



lent condition, averaging about 10 inches high and densely covenng the ground 

 with a fine green growth, among which some purple heads can be seen. I can 

 see no difference between it and other alfalfa." August 23, 1899, the plat was 

 again noted as in excellent condition and the growth about 18 inches high, with 

 some bloom. It was cut, and material was secured for chemical analysis. We 

 have had in the experiment farm for many years a plat of alfalfa started from 

 seed obtained from an easteni seedsman. It looks and behaves much like Samar- 

 kand alfalfa. Both withstand drought well ; both hold their own against weeds 

 very well. The older plat has furnished two cuttings during some specially 

 favorable seasons, but at other times would j)roduce but a scant cutting. It has 

 held its own, however, better than the red clover jjlanted near it. It must be 

 added that the soil is rather sterile for this region, and otherwise is not well 

 adapted to the plant. We are starting new i)lats in better land this spring and 

 may have a more favorable report to make later. — H. G arm an. Botanist. 



LOUISIANA. 



State Experiment Station, Audubon Park. 



The Turkestan alfalfa received by us and distributed by the Section of Seed 

 and Plant Introduction was diily received and planted. It was rather late in the 

 season to plant alfalfa, which is usually done here in early October, and from 

 this cause and, perhaps, from defect in the seed, we did not obtain as good a stand 

 as we usually do. However, we have still growing over an acre of this crop from 

 the seed sent us. There are growing near it several acres of alfalfa from our 

 home-grown seed, and the difference in growth is very noticeable. Our home- 

 grown gives us from six to eight cuttings per year ; the Turkestan has given only 

 three to four. During the winter just passed we have not cut the Turkestan at 

 all ; in fact, it remained almost stationary from last October up to the i^resent 

 time. It has now the appearance of ])utting on a new growth. In the mean- 

 while, we have cut the home-grown alfalfa twice during the winter. The plants 

 seem to be identical, but I fear the Turkestan variety is not yet acclimated to 

 oiir environments. We intend this year to let it go to seed in order that we may 

 experiment afresh with the seed grown from that sent us. — W. C. Stubbs, Director. 



MARYLAND. 



State Experiment Station, College Park. 



W« made every effort to get a stand of the Turkestan alfalfa, but failed to do 

 so, partially on account of the failure of the seed to germinate and partially on 

 accoiint of the very dry weather which prevailed throughout the growing season 

 of 1898, so that, on the whole, our test with the seed was a failure. — H. J. Pat- 

 terson, Director. 



MISSOURI. 



State Experiment Station, Columbia. 



The alfalfa seed from Turkestan, furnished by the Department of Agriculture, 

 was sown April 26, 1898, on carefully prepared seed bed and lightly covered with 

 a hand rake and rolled. Only a small proportion of the seed germinated, and 

 many of the plants died apparently from the excessive heat of July and August. 

 The stand was further reduced by the alternate freezing and thawing of the fol- 

 lowing spring, leaving so small a number of the plants that the plats were aban- 

 doned. This alfalfa does not seem to be quite so hardy as the common alfalfa. 



H. J. Waters, Director. 



NEBRASKA. 



state Experiment Station, Lincoln. 



On May 24, 1898, a one-tenth acre plat of ground was seeded to Turkestan 

 alfalfa by drilling with a press drill in rows 6 inches apart. The seed began to 

 come up on May ;^0, giving a good stand. It was cut three or four times during 

 the summer to keep do^vn the weeds, but no croj) of alfalfa. In 1899 it was cut 

 on June 15, yielding at the rate of one and seven-hundredths (l.UT) tons of hay per 

 acre. This was considerably less than the yields obtained from ordinary alfalfa 

 in nearby fields cut at the same time. The other fields were older, but one sowni 

 in 1897 gave in 1898 a yield of two and one-half tons of hay to the acre and in 1899 

 two and one-quarter tons. Our experience with the Turkestan alfalfa would 

 indicate that it does not produce as heavy yields as does the ordinary variety. 



