1896 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



ALFAI>FA— ALL ABOUT IT. 



During my visit at the Atlanta exposition I 

 ran across a department where all of the gov- 

 ernment bulletins pertaining to agricultural 

 matters were nicely displayed, and 1 had quite 

 a little talk with the olHcial in charge. He in- 

 formed me that there had been more call for a 

 government bulletin in regard to bee-keeping 

 and honey-producing than on almost any other 

 one subject, and as yet nothing has been pro- 

 vided. Ernest told you in our last issue, how- 

 ever, something in regard to the good work our 

 friend Frank Benton has been doing. Doubt- 

 less this will soon be in the hands of all of you. 

 I spoke particularly with him in regard to 

 Farmers' Bulletin No. 31, in regard to alfalfa. 

 This is the most complete, comprehensive, and 

 practical thing on the subject I have ever got 

 hold of. It is especially valuable to any one 

 who has contemplated trying alfalfa on his own 

 grounds; and I was greatly pleased to note that 

 alfalfa can be grown on a great variety of soils, 

 and in various kinds of climate, if you are only 

 careful to keep it free from stan'iing water. Al- 

 falfa can not stand "wet feet." Have your land 

 thoroughly underd rained or thoroughly sub- 

 soiled, or, better still, both, and you can make 

 alfalfa grow almost anywhere; and if it is well 



ALFALFA-PLANT SEVERAL YEAK8 OLD, AFTER 

 HAVING BEEN CUT OFF REFEATEDLV. 



A YOUNG ALFALFA -PLANT. 



protected from water it will survive very se- 

 vere if not the most severe frosts and winter 

 weather. After it once gets thoroughly rooted 

 it will, if I am correct, stand ruore drouth than 

 almost any other plant known, unless, indeed, 

 it is its near relative, sweet clover. 



I was especiallv pleased with the correct en- 

 gravings made of the plant; and the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture has kindly loaned me 

 these drawings. Compare them with some pic- 

 tures of alfalfa shown in our seed catalogs, and 

 you will note the difference. We do not take 

 the space here to make extracts from the bulle- 

 tin, from the fact that it will be mailed free of 

 charge to any citizen of the I'nited States 

 who cares for it. Slmplv address a postal card, 

 asking for Farmers' Bulletin No. 31, on alfalfa 

 culture, and you will get it. Here is what one 

 of the government officers has written to me: 



Mr. Root :— If you will furnish the names and ad- 

 dre-ssps of persons to whom you would like to send 

 a copy of the alfalfa liulletiti they will be mailed 

 from this Departmeni. It is very gratifying- to 

 learn that this publication ij appreciated by the 

 members of your firm, who are, of course, fully 

 competent to pass judgment upon it. 

 Respectfully, 



Geo. W.M. HiLi., 

 Chief Div. of Publications. 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 Division of Publications, 

 Washington, D. C, Nov. 14. 



