ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 575 



land plowed immediately following the cutting of winter wheat, or a first 

 year crop of red clover or oats cut early for hay. When this treatment has 

 heen given as soon following the removal of the crop as possible, it has 

 almost never failed to give good results, even though the summer be 

 rather dry. 



The necessity of thoroughness in this preparation, however, cannot be 

 over emphasized. Unless the land is prepared early in the summer and 

 then a good mulch maintained, there will be great danger of an insufficient 

 supply of moisture to insure germination. Then again alfalfa will not fight 

 weeds, and unless the soil is stirred often, in this way bringing the weed 

 seeds to the surface and germinating them before the alfalfa crop is put 

 in, difficulty and possible failure is the result. Further, while the surface 

 soil should be very well fined and oose, the subsurface should be rather 

 compact. Late and insufficient preparation means a loose seed bed with 

 more drying out, and then in the winter great danger from heaving, with 

 the loss of the whole crop as a result. 



THE USE OF LIME. 



If the soil is at all acid, to grow alfalfa it will be necessary to apply 

 from 1,000 to 2,500 pounds of lime per acre. The poorer and more worn 

 soils are most likely to be acid, in which case the use of lime is essential. 

 Even on the more fertile soils its use has usually resulted in a more 

 vigorous and healthy growth. Lime in the form of fine ground raw lime- 

 stone is much to be preferred, owing to its cheapness as well as to its effect 

 upon the soil. The soil may readily be tested for acidity by taking thor- 

 oughly moistened soil from a few inches below the surface and pressing 

 it, as into a ball, about a piece of blue litmus paper. If after ten or fifteen 

 minutes the paper is found to have changed to a distinctly pink color, one 

 may be reasonably sure that the soil needs lime. Otherwise lime is probably 

 not needed. Litmus paper can be secured at almost any drug store. 



INOCULATION. 



The results of numerous and wider tests indicate that most of our soils 

 probably contain the alfalfa bacteria which are essential for continued suc- 

 cess with this crop. While these bacteria are probably not present in so 

 large quantities as could be desired, their rapid multiplication is apparently 

 much aided by a liberal use of manure. 



On soils which do not naturally contain these bacteria it is absolutely 

 essential that they be introduced. This inoculation may best be secured 

 as follows : 



Just before seeding, scatter uniformly on the piece, from 150 to 300 lbs. 

 per acre, of soil secured from a field where alfalfa has grown vigorously and 

 where the plants produced in abundance tubercules on their roots. Where 

 this is not to be had, soil from a sweet clover patch may be used. 



This soil should not be exposed to the sun any more than necessary, and 

 may well be applied toward evening and harrowed in thoroughly at once as 

 the direct rays of the sun soon kill the bacteria. 



As there is no way of determining whether these bacteria are present in 

 a given soil without attempting to grow alfalfa, the only safe way is to 



