224 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



SUililARV. 



I. Alfalfa belongs to the family of legumes, along with clover, peas and beans 

 and therefore may entertain on its roots micro-organisms which have the power 

 of converting the nitrogen of the air into forms which plants can use. For this 

 reason it would be a valuable addition to the list of forage plants in Michigan if 

 it should prove hardy and capable of withstanding the severe winters. 



II. The leaves and stems of alfalfa are very rich in protein. The average 

 protein content of the hay gathered in May, June and August was 14.48 per cent, 

 while that of clover hay is not far from 12 per cent. Alfalfa furnishes a first crop 

 ready to harvest, on ordniary seasons, the last of May. Two other crops usually 

 follow, the second in July and the third in late August. For this reason it makes 

 an excellent soiling crop. The yields of dry hay per acre on good soil vary 

 from three to six tons. 



III. Alfalfa is peculiarly adapted to arid sections under irrigation. Whether 

 it will become a permanent and valuable crop for Michigan is yet to be determined. 

 It has met with little or no success in New England outside of Vermont, where, 

 out of fifty-six trials, fourteen farmers report failure, twelve permanent success 

 and ten temporary success. In Quebec, Ontario and New York it has succeeded at 

 several points. 



IV. The station has distributed alfalfa seed for trial to over one hundred and 

 fifty farmers. The United States government has also distributed seed to many 

 farmers in the State and the records of these plots have been turned over to this 

 station. Of seventy-six reports from farmers who have tried alfalfa, thirty-two 

 record absolute failures, due generally to winter killing; twenty-four record par- 

 tial success, for a single year; sixteen record success for two or more consecutive 

 years. The chief enemies of the crop in Michigan, after winter killing, are June 

 grass, and dodder. The latter is a parasitic plant introduced with the seed. No 

 alfalfa seed should be sown until approved by the station. 



V. Alfalfa seed is expensive and the temptation to adulteration is therefore 

 strong. No seed should be sown until its per cent of germination is determined. 

 The Turkestan variety has given less yields than others, but has withstood the 

 winters better. As between the so-called Salauer seed from Utah and Colorado 

 grown, there seems to be but little difference. The variety called sand lucern 

 seems to withstand the winter as well as Turkestan and to give larger yields. 



VI. Alfalfa has been sown on all kinds of soil on the station plots and seems 

 to do equally well on the light sand and on well drained clay. It does not do 

 well on undrained land, on soil with a stiff subsoil near the surface, on acid 

 soils nor on muck of the kind on the station grounds, 



VII. Alfalfa responds to fertilizers whether barnyard manure or commercial 

 fertilizers. Of the latter those containing lime, phosphoric acid and potash, with- 

 out nitrogen, seem to be called for. 



VIII. The repeated sowings at the college have scarcely recorded an instance 

 where the roots have been free from nodules although no artificial inoculation 

 has been used. The germs giving nitrogen-fixing power seem to have been trans- 

 ferred to the new crop on the seed. 



From some parts of the State reports come that nodules are not present. It 

 is therefore prudent to inoculate the seed or soil with the proper germs 

 when sowing. 



IX. Prudence dictates that twenty pounds of seed per acre should be used 

 providing the per cent of germination is above eighty. If the seed has a lower 

 per cent of germination, even larger quantities per acre should be sown. 



X. The date of sowing depends on the season, the month of May being pre- 

 ferred, in southern Michigan, and possibly the month of August north of the 

 line marking the southern boundary of a permanent snow cover during the winter. 



XI. If weeds threaten the tender plants in the first season they should be 

 clipped but the last clipping should not be later than the last week in August. 



XII. Although large crops are secured where the alfalfa makes a good stand, 

 hard winters are certain and the crop is not yet entirely beyond the experimental 

 stage in Michigan. 



