38 EXPEKIMENT STATION EECOED. 



Alfalfa in Oklahoma, L. A. Moorhouse and W. L. Bublison {Oklahoma 

 i>'ta. Bui. 82, Pi). 3-29, figs. S).— The bistory of alfalfa in the United States is 

 reviewed, tlie principal strains and varieties are described, and the advantages 

 and requirements of the crop are pointed out. 



In experiments with barnyard manure as a top-dressing for alfalfa it was 

 found that this treatment increased the yield but also encouraged the growth of 

 «rab grass. The increase in yield is considered due largely to the absorption 

 and storage of greater quantities of moisture in the manured than in the un- 

 manured land. Three plats had been in sorghum the year before the alfalfa was 

 sown. One plat was manured before the ground was plowed and this treatment 

 was also noticeable in the results. The fourth plat, which had been in oats, was 

 fallowed with frequent cultivation during the summer and the alfalfa was sown 

 in the fall. The first 2 years this plat, owing to a better and more uniform 

 stand, gave much heavier yields than the other spring-sown plats. On several 

 acres of clay loam upland underlaid with hardpan the station has secured an 

 average yield of cured hay of 2.88 tons per acre from 1902 to 1905, inclusive. 

 Five cuttings were made each year except one, and two-thirds of the total crop 

 was obtained in the first two cuttings. 



The results of pot-culture tests show that the use of lime on upland and bot- 

 tom soils apparently gave a considerable increase in growth, although in prac- 

 tice it has not been found necessary to lime the land in starting the crop. 



Inoculation and lime as factors in growing alfalfa, H. A. Harding and 

 J. K. Wilson (A'(W York State Sta. But. 313, pp. 51-75. pis. 2. maps 2). — This 

 bulletin presents the results of cooperative experiments conducted to determine 

 the effect of inoculation and of lime as well as the combined influence of these 

 two factors in growing alfalfa in different parts of the State. 



In 1907 inoculating soil from the station alfalfa field was applied at the rate 

 of 200 to 300 lbs. per acre just before sowing the seed. On all plats receiving 

 fresh inoculating soil inoculation w:is present except in one instance, where 

 soil stored in a dry place for 3 months was used. By including in the sum- 

 mary the work along this line carried out in 1905 and 1906 it is shown that 

 only 25 of 103 test fields produced a successful crop without inoculating soil, 

 and that of the adjoining plats treated with inoculating soil 6G gave satisfac- 

 tory yields of alfalfa. These results represent one or more fields in 39 of the 

 61 counties of New York. The use of inoculating soil raised the chance of 

 success to about 60 per cent. 



In nearly all of the tests with lime 1,.500 lbs. of stone lime was used per acre. 

 During the 3 years, 1905-1907. liming was tried on 64 alfalfa fields, in 54 of 

 which an improvement apparently due to the treatment resulted. Of the un- 

 limed plats only 11 gave successful yields, while of the limed plats adjoining 

 27 produced successful crops. The use of lime alone increased the number of 

 successful fields by 25 per cent and all the fields successful without lime were 

 improved by its use. The litmus test as a means of determining whether or 

 not a soil needs lime was not found very reliable. 



The effect of inoculating the soil and also applying lime was studied in 65 

 tests, in which only 12 of the untreated check plats gave satisfactory crops of 

 alfalfa while of the limed and inoculated plats adjoining 50 gave successful 

 yields. This treatment raised the chance of success from 18 per cent on the 

 check plats to 77 per cent on the limed and inoculated plats. 



Two factors favoring success with alfalfa, F. H. Hall (New -York State 

 8ta. Bill. 313, popular ed., pp. 6). — A popular edition of the above. 



Questions of Wyoming crops, H. T. Nowell (Wyominc; 8ta. Rpt. 190S. pp. 

 75-85). — A series of letters from farmers located in different parts of the State 



