FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 393 



Primarily, infected dirt can not be obtained without destroying 

 parts of an alfalfa field, and few men care to sell soil at such a sacri- 

 fice. Indeed, with all this discussion of alfalfa inoculation only one 

 farmer has come forward in this journal with public offer of soil from 

 an infected field, while requests for such soil have been many. By 

 reason of the difficulty of obtaining infected dirt, and the insistence 

 of the scientists on such infection, it is likely that many farmers will 

 be deterred from attempting to grow alfalfa this year. And here is 

 where they make a sad mistake. 



Let us examine the facts. As the alfalfa bacterium is specific to 

 that plant it follows that it does not exist except in a field where al- 

 falfa has been grown. The only exception to this proposition would 

 be found where the overflow of a river had carried the bacteria down 

 stream and lodged them on low-lying ground. Years of experience 

 has demonstrated that it is possible to get fine stands of this clover 

 without special soil-infection. What does this mean? Simply that the 

 seed carries the bacteria. Why then do some find success and some failure? 

 It seems reasonable to suppose that it is on account of the character 

 of the soil. It is known that acid soils are not suited to the growth 

 of alfalfa. It is known that the plant will not thrive in water-logged 

 soils. It is known that it does best on rich soil. Broadly speaking, 

 no man has the advantage over his neighbor in the prior possession 

 of the bacteria in his soil unless by overflow or previous seeding of 

 alfalfa. The seed undoubtedly carries the bacteria, sometimes in 

 larger quantities than others, possibly, but these bacteria multiply 

 rapidly when once introduced in the soil. 



The conclusion is that no man with suitable soil should hang back 

 from a trial with alfalfa merely because he can not obtain inoculated 

 dirt to sow on his field. Throughout the great West such a thing as soil 

 infection in this manner is never considered. They simply sow the 

 seed and the crop follows. This fact of itself indicates strongly that 

 the difficulty is in the character of the soil. Enough is now known 

 to warn farmers against the sowing of alfalfa on a field of sour, acid 

 or water-logged soil. It is possibly to correct acidity in such fields 

 by the use of ground limestone, and tiles will carry off the subsoil 

 water, rendering it fit for alfalfa. But where no such adverse condi- 

 tions, prevail, and especially where there is a limestone or a porous 

 subsoil, we have no hesitancy in advising the trial of alfalfa. 



If failure results, examine the soil for acidity. If this is found 

 correct it. Then manure the ground and try again, and success is al- 

 most certain. An experience in northern Illinois recently reported" to 

 this office is of value. Alfalfa was tried a few years ago on a very 

 poor bit of ground and the results were not satisfactory. Last year it 

 was tried again and on every part of the field seeded to alfalfa some 

 years ago a rank stand was secured, while on adjoining portions the 

 stand is poor. This means that the soil was then infected and has 

 stayed infected. Hence if failure results, repeat the experiment on 

 the same soil unless it has been found to be too acid or too wet. If 

 infected soil can be obtained it is well enough to sow it to make as- 



