TWELFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 521 



so carefully prepared will grow turnips and perhaps alfalfa but I am not 

 going to tell you that it will because I do not believe it. Anyway the 

 process of inoculation is so easy and simple that the very fact that it 

 is absolutely necessary and that the bacteria which may be furnished 

 by inoculation are essential to the successful and permanent growth of 

 alfalfa that the intelligent and thoughtful farmer will not risk their 

 being present in the soil, or trust to their gaining access to the field 

 of their own accord, but he puts them there before seeding is done. 

 Otherwise he has no right to complain if next summer the alfalfa field 

 begins turning yellow and the plants die a patch at a time. 



There are several ways of inoculating the soil. One is by purchasing 

 prepared cultures and treating the seed before planting. This perhaps 

 is the easiest method. Another plan is to transport soil from a field 

 where alfalfa has grown for several years or from along the road side 

 where sweet clover grows luxuriantly. Sweet clover belongs to the same 

 family as alfalfa and the bacteria that grow on the roots of one are the 

 same as those which encourage the growth of the other. Therefore, dirt 

 secured either from a sweet clover patch or from a successful alfalfa 

 field may be hauled and distributed at the rate of from 150 to 300 pounds 

 per acre over the prospective alfalfa field. This will insure success if 

 all other conditions are right. 



An excellent way to distribute the dirt where fertilizer distributors are 

 not used is to build a crate 14 or 18 inches wide and the length of the 

 harrow in use, making the bottom of slats. This crate may be attached to 

 the front of the harrow and filled with inoculating dirt as often as neces- 

 sary. By placing the slats at proper distances apart on the bottom the 

 dirt may be distributed evenly and in proper amounts over the field. 



TIME OF SEEDING. 



It is most advisable to inoculate the ground just before seeding, which 

 should occur from August 6th to 12th, depending somewhat upon loca- 

 tion and climatic conditions. However, in most localities the dates giv- 

 en insure that if the ground has been properly prepared the seeds will 

 find a warm, moist seed bed, germinate quickly and start a healthful, 

 rapid root growth. Soon the fall rains will come, the ground becomes 

 soaked and very rapid growth of the plants follow until the appear- 

 ance of frost. 



SEEDING. 



Twenty pounds of first class seed per acre should be used. Broad- 

 casting and harrowing is often successfully practiced but drilling is more 

 advisable. This places each seed in the soil at a depth of from one-quarter 

 to one-half inch, where it will at once come in contact with the moisture 

 which insures quicker and more certain germination and a more thor- 

 ough covering of the roots and less liability to freezing out in the winter. 

 In many instances seeds that are broadcasted germinate on top of or 

 very close to the surface of the ground and so have little root to with- 

 ' stand sudden changes in climate. If the drill is used it is possible to 

 sow half of the seed driving in one direction and sow the remainder 



