392 Bueeau of Farmers' Institutes. 



A study of this shows that the acre of alfalfa produced nearly 

 twice as much dry matter as the corn, nearly four times as much 

 digestible alubminoid matter, and nearly one-third more carbo- 

 hydrates. The albuminoids are the expensive things for us to 

 raise on New York State farms, and too much of our money goes 

 west for them. There are not many crops in which we can grow it 

 to advantage, and none save this where we can grow more fat and 

 heat producing material to the acre, than we can grow in corn, and 

 at the same time grow nearly as much digestible protein in every 

 ton as we find in a ton of wheat bran. 



In New Jersey they asked what I based my statements regard- 

 ing corn and alfalfa on. I told them on the results in my own 

 stables, and now I am able to back my own observations with the 

 able experiments of Dr. Cooke. 



My friend from Mohawk criticizes me because I am advocating 

 alfalfa growing, and because I use my position as Director of State 

 Farmers' Institutes to encourage my fellow farmers to try it. I 

 believe in speaking well of the bridge that carries me safe over. 

 Alfalfa has been a great help to me and to my father, before me, 

 in keeping a dairy, and if I can help mark my term as Director of 

 Institutes as the beginning of an era of alfalfa growing in New 

 York, I will be content. 



Question. — What is an average yield of alfalfa in Central New 

 York, and why does it not do well in certain sections of the State, 

 and what is it? 



1. I believe that three to four tons per acre can be depended on 

 one year with another, on good land, with a good even stand. To 

 get this you must cut at least three times, and as we have often 

 cut the first time the last of May, or first of June, there is no 

 trouble in getting three and often four cuttings. 



At the Geneva Experiment Station the following yields were 

 obtained: 



1894. — 64,596 pounds green matter or 17,034 pounds hay from 

 2.3 acres, and 33,803 pounds of green matter or 8,116 

 pounds dry hay from 1.3 acres. 

 1895. — 37,129 pounds green matter or 8,666 pounds hay from 1.3 



acres. 

 1896. — 34,991 pounds green matter or 8,527 pounds hay from 1.3 

 acres, and 36,514 pounds green matter or 7,461 pounds 

 hay from li acres. The first cuttings of these plots for 

 soiling wore made May 11th in '94, 12th in '96 and May 

 15th in '95. 



