294 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



fully planned alfalfa demonstrations planted one or two years before. 



The demand for crop exhibits at County Fairs, the State Fair and 

 the International Grain and Hay Show, required considerable prepara- 

 tion along that line. Mr. H. C. Rather, assisted by members of the 

 Farm Crops Department, handled this Avork. 



AAlth the assignment of the potato crop to this department. Extension 

 work in the standardization of potato varieties, spraying, and cultural 

 demonstrations has been undertaken. A report of the Extension work 

 ■with potatoes has been submitted. Details can be found in the rep^orts 

 by Mr. J. W. Weston and Mr. H. C. Moore, Extension Specialists, 

 assigned to potatoes. 



At a September meeting of the State Board of Agriculture, Mr. Moore 

 and Mr. Weston were each made quarter-time assistants in experimental 

 work. 



The daily correspondence relating to field crops has steadily increased, 

 averaging a total of 68 letters per day. 



ALFALFA AND LEGUINIE CAMPAIGN 



Owing to the success which alfalfa growlers have met with during 

 recent years, and from the standpoint of permanent soil benefit, and 

 the livestock situation in Michigan, it was deemed advisable to greatly 

 increase the acreage of alfalfa. In most localities alfalfa is a "key crop". 

 Not only is the growing of this crop directly profitable, but the indirect 

 benefits are very great. The successful production of alfalfa necessi- 

 tates liming, the use of phosphate, etc., and leaves the land in excel- 

 lent condition for growing general croi>s. It is also of great value in 

 cheapening and bettering livestock feeding rations. 



A state-wide alfalfa campaign was announced in August, 1921. The 

 work was placed on a county basis being conducted either in co-opera- 

 tion with the Daily Department, as a "dairy and alfalfa" campaign or 

 as a straight "legume" campaign. The "dairy" and "alfalfa" campaign 

 beginning October 29th to November 5th, held in Allegan county, was 

 led by two teams, each composed of one man from the Farm Crops 

 Department and one from the Dairy Department, each making four 

 meetings per day with one night meeting. The meetings were held in 

 barns during the day-time and in Grange Halls and oither campaign 

 meetings places at night. Over two thousand, four hundred farmers 

 attended these meetings and it was estimated that the alfalfa acreage 

 in Allegan County had increased to three thousand acres — over 70% 

 during the past spring. 



Alfalfa "Campaigns" were conducted in fourteen counties, though 

 practically all County Agents extended the alfalfa and legume acreage 

 as a main project. 



Mr. V. H. Church, Crops Statistician of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture, states that the alfalfa acreage of Michigan has increased 

 from 76,000 acres in 1919 to 348,000 acres cut for hay in 1922, with a 

 total of one-half million acres including new seeding. 



Most of the farmers estimate that the successful growing of alfalfa 

 on land will increase its value .from twenty to forty per cent. Allowing 

 an incrcease of |10 per acre in land valuation, it Is not unreasonable to 



