224 Bulletin 22;j. 



" It cannot be said to be well adapted to alfalfa growing but by 

 proper attention to drainage and careful handling of the crop in the early 

 stage of growth it seems probable that a moderate degree of success may 

 be attained. The first proposition must be kept in mind, viz. that good 

 drainage wdll offset serious physical difficulties, such as hardpan and 

 shallow stony soil." 



2. Inoculaiion 



During the past season the interest of the cooperative experimenters 

 as regards alfalfa growing seemed to center around the question of 

 inoculation with nitrogen-gathering bacteria. Two hundred farmers 

 asked for and received packages of about four pounds of alfalfa seed, 

 part of which was treated with cultures of the alfalfa bacteria and part 

 without treatment for comparison. Sacks of soil from an old alfalfa 

 field were also sent to a number of persons who expressed a desire to 

 compare soil inoculation with the artificial cultures. 



Sixty- four reports containing definite statements have been received 

 at this writing, evidently based on careful examination, regarding the 

 presence and abundance of nodules on the roots of the plants grown 

 under the different treatments. 



Results zvith plain seed. — In the case of plants grown without any 

 attempt at inoculation by soil or cultures, forty of the sixty-four reports 

 state that no nodules were found on the roots ; twenty state that a few 

 were found and only four that the nodules were abundant. These figures 

 may probably be taken as fairly representing what may be expected when 

 sowing alfalfa in New York outside the sections where alfalfa growing 

 is well established. In slightly more than six per cent of these cases 

 abundant inoculation took place; in about 2)if( a partial inoculation oc- 

 curred that probably by repeated sowings would become abundant ; while 

 in about 63^^ of the cases no nodules were found. Certainly New York 

 farmers must look well after the matter of inoculation if they would 

 secure success with alfalfa. 



Results zvith culture-treated seed. — In the case of plants grown 

 from seed that had been treated with cultures of the alfalfa bacteria, 

 forty-two out of sixty-four reports state that there was no apparent 

 increase of nodules due to the treatment, while twenty-two report that 

 nodules seem to be more abundant than on the ])lat sown with jilain 

 seed. Reduced to percentages, slightly more than 34^ of these show 

 increase of nodules supposedly due to treatment of the seerl and about 

 66^ show no such increase. 



As to the effect upon the vigor and growth of the plants, eleven out of 

 sixty-four, or ly^f, report increased vigor apparently due to treating the 

 seed with cultures, while in fifty-three cases, or 83;/. no improvement can 

 be detected. Of these eleven cases showing increased growth, two of 



