Results in Growing Alfalfa in Central New York 73 1 



these plants have simply a straight taproot with small, weak lateral 

 roots ; two have a slight tendency to branch ; and one has a decided 

 tendency to branch. In short, common alfalfa is not true to any 

 type. This last accounts for the condition that, where a field of 

 alfalfa has been heaved out, occasionally a plant is found in the 

 field that did not heave. An examination of the roots of this 

 surviving plant will show that it is of the branching-root 



Fig. C76. — Baltic Alfalfa. 



variety. This so-called common variety with the straight taproot 

 has a value above all other varieties in that it will go very deep 

 into the soil for water, and so avoid drought, and, in types of soil 

 that are deep and well drained, where there is little heaving, no 

 better variety could be found, provided it is grown well north and 

 is therefore hardy. 



