HISTORY. 71 



could possibly replace this rich, beautiful and won- 

 derfully useful plant. 



From Colorado alfalfa came naturally into Kan- 

 sas, beginning to be an important factor there about 

 the year 1894. At first it was grown only along the 

 Arkansas river, and in the dryer parts of the state. 

 Gradually it overspread nearly all of Kansas, being 

 of most importance on the richer, dryer, sweeter 

 soils. Nebraska followed Kansas in taking up alfal- 

 fa growing. Along the Platte Eiver it established 

 itself strongly and in the western part of the state, 

 while gradually, surely its roots penetrated nearly 

 every part of the state. East of the Missouri Eiver 

 alfalfa made slow progress. Iowa grew a little, Mis- 

 souri on her alluvial soils along the Missouri 

 and Mississippi rivers planted fields and gradually 

 the growth extended. Illinois undertook alfalfa cul- 

 ture in 1898 or earlier, but as yet the industry there 

 is hardly more than in its experimental stage, some 

 men having made notable success, but many having 

 failed. Wisconsin grows much alfalfa, having soils 

 well drained and rich in lime. Minnesota began its 

 culture in 1857 when Wendelin Grimm came from 

 the little village of Kulsheim, Germany, bringing 

 with him a little bag of alfalfa seed from his old 

 home in the Grand Duchy of Baden. This was the 

 "ewiger klee" or everlasting clover of Grimm, and 

 from that day to this in Carver Co., Minnesota, al r 

 falfa has been grown. Indiana attempted alfalfa 

 culture and the experiment station published a bul- 

 letin charging that alfalfa was not particularly 



