672 



IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



An attempt was made to distribute these co-oi)erative acre trials in 

 such a way that all types of soil would be represented, and especially 

 sections from which the greatest difficulty was reported. The distribu- 

 tion appears in fig. 13, and this table: 



ALFALFA CO-OPE'RATORS 1910-1911. 



More than 1.50 co-operative experiments are now under way, and 

 many more will be undertaken. Those interested in conducting small 

 plot tests with alfalfa would do well to address Professor J. Buchanan, 

 Superintendent of Co-operative Farm Crop Experiments, Ames, Iowa, 

 for more definite information. 



BEXEFICIAL SOIL TREATMEXTS FOR ALFALFA. 



Among the co-operative tests on the different soil types, only two soils 

 were found where at least one of the treatments, — inoculation, lime or 

 manure, or a combination of two of these, did not prove to be very 

 beneficial to the alfalfa, resulting in a more vigorous, healthy growth 

 arid a larger yield. 



On a number of the soils, where one or more of these treatments was 

 beneficial, a fair crop was secured without treatment. A seeding made 

 without treatment might be termed successful, yet the results secured, 

 as measured by the yield of hay and the general vigor of the seeding, 

 would not approach the results attained when the soil was properly pre- 

 pared. 



Of the two fields on which none of the treatments showed any ef- 

 fects, at least one had received a good application of manure over the 



