BREEDING LEGUMINOUS CROPS. 245 



nitrogen in the soil to push forward our crops from earHest spring 

 to maturity. 



We have several leading leguminous crops which are both prof- 

 itable for their products and valuable in that they add fertility to the 

 soil for succeeding crops. Common red clover, alfalfa, field peas, 

 field beans, soy beans and cow peas are the leading species which 

 may be used in this way. The varieties of any one of these species 

 are not fully adapted to the conditions of this state. Red clover 

 lacks in hardiness, especially to the northwestward. Alfalfa lacks 

 in hardiness, in adaptability to our heavier soils and in seed bearing 

 qualities. Field beans yield too little to be adapted for a general 

 field crop for live stock. Field peas fail as a grain crop in those 

 seasons which are hot and drouthy in midsummer. Soy beans are 

 hardly early enough sO' that we can produce our own seed and 

 thus have seed at a price sufficiently low to warrant extended 

 growth of this crop for forage. Cow peas are still later in matur- 

 ing than soy beans. Field peas, soy beans and cow peas make ex- 

 cellent forage crops, but the greatest drawback in using them for 

 this purpose is the lack of cheaply grown seed. Seeds brought from 

 other states make the cost per acre of seeding very high. 



The Minnesota Experiment Station has undertaken to breed all 

 of these species. Experiments were begun with red clover thir- 

 teen years ago, with field peas ten years ago, with field beans six 

 3ears ago, and with alfalfa, soy beans and cow peas two or three 

 years ago. Much has been learned as to valuable foundation va- 

 rieties with which to begin operations. Special methods for dealing 

 with each species have been devised. Very promising stocks are 

 now in hand of alfalfa, of field peas and of field beans. The v.'ork 

 with red clover has gone slowly, but results now seem to be com- 

 ing forward. Fairly good success has been reached v/ith soy beans, 

 though the past cold season with severe frosts which occurred me- 

 dium early has greatly reduced our supply of improved stocks. 



Breeding Red Clover. — In order to secure the best possible 

 foundation stocks, nearly 200 samples of red clover were secured 

 from the northern states, from Canada and from northern European 

 countries. In a general way the stocks from American seed and 

 from European seed which had come at a recent date from American 

 stocks did better on our grounds during the past three years than 

 stocks of clover from Europe. Numbers of the best of these va- 

 rieties or stocks of red clover have been subjected to selection. Dur- 

 ing a number of seasons the foundation plants were all winter- 

 killed. Occasionally we have had a winter just severe enough to de- 

 stroy all but the few hardiest plants. Thus we are able to have 



