EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 



289 



was beuefited. Wliile the decision of a farmer may have resulted from 

 intelligent observation and study of his crops from year to year yet these 

 data should hardly be considered seriously as evidence for or against in- 

 oculation. 



"Table III is my estinmte of the benefited, not benefited and indiffer- 

 ent. In this only alfalfa is considered. All reports that show evidence 

 of the farmers not having followed suggestions for the comparison of 

 treated and untreated are classed as indifferent. 



TABLE III. 



"Even by following this conservative arrangement of reports the num- 

 ber of instances of benefit is sufficiently high to emphasize the success 

 of cultures for alfalfa. In lOlG, of the eight instances where the croj) 

 was not benefited, four reported the lack of nodules on the inoculated 

 plants as well as on the treated. In either case the poor results might, 

 of course, be due to improper handling of the culture and the treated 

 seed. 



"Following the farmers' estimate of benefit to their crops a study was 

 made of the reports to ascertain if possible the influence of the crop man- 

 agement upon the success of inoculation. The definiteness and conse- 

 quent value of this review, being determined by the success of the crop 

 instead of the success of inoculation, is questionable. Table IV is a re- 

 view of the results of liming as compared to not liming. In the light of 

 the general opinion concerning the necessity of liming, to not only as- 

 sure nodule formation but also crop success, the figures are surprising 

 if taken seriously. 



TABLE IV.— INFLUENCE OF LIMING. 



"Table V. VI and VII respectively are reviews of dates of seeding, soil 

 types and nurse crop on the relative numbers of successes and failures. 

 None of these contains sufficiently conclusive data to justify any de- 

 cision. 



37 



