156 ALFALFA. 
OBSERVATIONS FROM FARMERS. 
Before venturing on the chemical study of the crop it 
was thought best to determine to what extent it was grown 
in the state and gain some information as to its possibilities. 
For this purpose letters were sent out early in the summer 
of 1902 tocertain farmers and stockmen throughout the 
state, requesting them to give any information they could 
as to the extent to which alfalfa was grown in their vicinity 
and with what success. Incidentally inquiries were also 
made to obtain the methods of seeding and handling the 
crop and other general information. From letters received 
in reply to these inquiries, it was found that alfalfa has been 
grown withsome success in Freeborn,Carver, Hennepin, Rice, 
Sherburne, Sibley, Lyon, Watonwan, Scott and Redwood 
counties. These counties are all situated in the southern and 
central part of thestate. Itis possible that successful attempts 
have been made in many other counties from which we have 
no reports. Few reports have been received from the nor- 
thern part of the state. The following are letters received 
in answer to some of these inquiries: 
New Prague, Scott Co. 
“In this vicinity, alfalfa does best on black soil on high 
land. We sowed about 15 lbs. to the acre. We have about 
one acre which we feed to the hogs. For this purpose it is 
fine. They seem to like it better than red clover. We cut it 
from three to four times a year. It can stand a drouth and 
frost better than clover. I do not think it freezes out at all. 
I know of no one else around here who has raised it. 
Yours truly, 
ADOLPH SCHARF. 
Excelsior, Hennepin Co. 
“My attention was first called to alfalfa in 1881 when 
my father and I were about ten miles west of here in Lake 
Town. This was during the month of August, and a field 

