VARIETIES OF ALFALFA 245 



Inoculating in Expectation of Solving. I have given 

 much space to the subject of alfalfa because it has en- 

 grossed my thought for many years, and because it 

 seems to me assured that good farmers everywhere will 

 desire to grow it. A man, for example, sufficiently lib- 

 eral to possess and read this book is almost sure to de- 

 sire to grow alfalfa. It is well for him to begin to 

 get inoculation into his soil in advance of the time when 

 he will sow alfalfa. This he can do by simply sowing 

 alfalfa seed with his red clover each spring. He should 

 first make the land dry enough for clover and alfalfa. 

 If it is sour lime it ; afterward he may simply mix in say 

 TO pounds of alfalfa seed with each 100 pounds of 

 clover seed sown and sow the clover, preferably in 

 April, by harrowing the land and covering the seed. 

 Thus sown a fine sprinkling of alfalfa all over the land 

 will result, and nature will attend to the inoculation, 

 so that in a few years when he is ready to sow to alfalfa 

 alone, the land will be ready for it. The growth of 

 alfalfa will also be a good index to the state of prepared- 

 ness of the land. 



Varieties of Alfalfa. There are innumerable vari- 

 eties of alfalfa, but only a few have been isolated, and 

 the seed is on the market. At present there is more use 

 in getting seed from certain regions than there is in seek- 

 ing special varieties. For example, seed from France 

 thrives in the central states; seed from Algeria (im- 

 ported through France) is not hardy. Seed from Kan- 

 sas, Nebraska and Montana is hardy all over the eastern 

 and central states, and is the best supply available now. 

 Seed from Arizona is not hardy in Nebraska, but thrives 



