292 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



cumbent growth and moderate yield. The variegated alfalfa is repre- 

 sented b}' the Grimm alfalfa, much of the commercial Sand Lucerne 

 and some of the seed from Germany, Canada and other sources. The 

 variegalt'd alfalfa is generally known as a hardy, ])roductive and an all 

 round desirable type, but as it is not generally known among the fanners 

 and as the common alfalfa has given satisfactory results, it is not very 

 generally grown. 



There are also many regional types of alfalfa whose characteristics 

 have been acquired by long continued culture under conditions pre- 

 vailing in certain regions. Examples of these are found in the Arabian 

 alfalfa, the Puruvian. the German and the Turkestan. ^lany of these 

 are very poorly adapted to growing in the United States; others de- 

 veloped under similar but somewhat more severe conditions are hardy 



Fig. VI. A view ol S( me of the alfalfa breeding plats at the e.Kperiment station. 



and well adapted to growing here. Conditions governing the produc- 

 tion, importation and sale of alfalfa seed, however favor the general use 

 of American grown seed. 



Approximately 42% of the alfalfa growers reporting, purchased seed 

 which was claimed to have been northern grown and Table XII shows the 

 results with which these seedings were made as compared with those 

 in which the sources of seed was not s[>ecified. In many of the latter 

 class, northern grown seed was undoubtedly used. 



Source of seed. 



Northern Errown .... 

 Source not specified . 



TABLE XII. 



Number of 



seedinps 

 reported. 



172 

 331 



Percentage of seedings reported as 



Good. 



49.4 

 40.8 



Medium. 



.30.8 

 29.6 



Poor. 



16.3 

 23.5 



Failure 



3 5 

 6.1 



