the Wisconsin Experiment Station. While this method is not so 

 certain as spreading inoculated soil, very good results have obtained 

 where these fresh cultures have been used. 



Mix Alfalfa With Timothy and Clover 



A good scheme to get the entire farm inoculated for future crops 

 of alfalfa is to use a mixture of two pounds of alfalfa seed an acre 

 with every grass and clover seeding. 



The scattered alfalfa plants gradually develop the inoculation in 

 the soil in two or more years. Inoculation is hastened if the alfalfa 

 seed is first treated with a good inoculation culture or an equal weight 

 of fine dried sweet-clover or alfalfa dirt. A weak solution of glue 

 or molasses is used to dampen the seed slightly before the dust is 

 applied. A little care must be used to avoid having the seeds stick 

 together in bunches. 



Glue Method of Inoculation 



The glue method of inoculating alfalfa seed is simple, convenient 

 and quite effective. The plan is to coat the seeds with inoculated 

 soil that is soil containing the proper nitrogen gathering bacteria 

 for alfalfa before planting. Proceed as follows, Dissolve two hand- 

 fuls of furniture glue in a gallon of boiling water. Allow this solu- 

 tion to cool. Moisten the seed (do not wet it) with dilute glue 

 using about one quart of the solution for one bushel of alfalfa seed. 

 Sprinkle the glue on evenly and stir the seed thoroughly so as to get 

 each seed slightly moist. 



Now then we are ready to apply the inoculation soil. Go along 

 the roadsides where sweet clover is growing and dig up about a gal- 

 lon of dirt for each bushel of alfalfa seed. Dig this dirt near the 

 sweet clover roots. If you do not have sweet clover growing in your 

 section, soil from a successful alfalfa patch will, of course, serve the 

 same purpose and will be equally effective. Dry this soil in the 

 shade or in the barn or basement where the direct rays of the sun 

 will not reach it. After it is dry pulverize it by hand into a fine 

 dust. Scatter this dust over the moistened seed stirring vigorously 

 so as to mix thoroughly at the rate of about one gallon of soil to one 

 bushel of seed. While the alfalfa seeds may stick together some- 

 what when first moistened with the glue solution, after the appli- 

 cation of the dry inoculation dirt they separate readily and no diffi- 

 culty will be experienced in seeding. This method of inoculation 

 is especially advantageous where the supply of inoculation soil is 

 shipped from a distance or otherwise limited. 



Lasts Many Years 



Inoculation is neither difficult nor expensive. As far as we know, 

 a field once inoculated is always inoculated. However, where alfalfa 

 is not grown for an interval of six or eight years reinoculation is 

 helpful. 



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