Alfalfa in Kansas. 205 



planted. If the two strains which it is desired to cross are of markedly 

 different types, as is the case with common and Sickle alfalfas, which, 

 among other differences, have purple and yellow flowers, respectively, 

 then it will be comparatively easy, when they come into flower, to dis- 

 tinguish the hybrids from the ordinary self-pollinated plants. In the 

 case just mentioned, of crossing common and Sickle alfalfas, the hybrids 

 will all have variegated flowers, varying from light yellow, through 

 yellowish green and bluish green, to blue and purple, on the same plant. 

 These plants can then be close-pollinated by the rapid method before 

 mentioned and rapidly increased. For scientific purposes, where it is 

 desired to study the inheritance of characters in the plants, this method 

 is not used, since the male parentage is always uncertain wherever 

 insects are used as the means of transporting the pollen. For careful 

 scientific work the hand method of pollination is followed. The other 

 method, however, is useful in a practical way where it is desirable to 

 produce in a short time a large number of hybrids which are to be grown 

 on a considerable scale. For instance, in producing a hardy alfalfa by 

 crossing common with Sickle alfalfa, if a large number of hybrids can be 

 produced at once between two strains of these species, the plants can be 

 rapidly increased at jjjjp breeding station and afterwards sent as a whole 

 to the place where they are to be tested. Nature can then be left to do the 

 selecting, winter by winter, as has occurred in the case of the Grimm 

 alfalfa, and finally the most hardy survivors will propagate the new 

 race. It will be seen that this is a practical way of getting new types of 

 alfalfa rapidly into the field. 



Alfalfa offers unrivaled opportunities for the breeder. There are so 

 many types, having so many different characteristics, that a very wide 

 range of conditions can be supplied. The abundant intercrossing that has 

 always gone on in the case of the alfalfas has given rise to such a vast 

 number of different types that the most that is usually necessary is to 

 select the desired type and grow a pure stand of it. However, as we have 

 seen, all of the desirable features of cold-resistance, drouth-endurance, 

 forage yield, seeding capacity, and resistance to the various diseases to 

 which alfalfa is subject, are never combined in any single alfalfa plant. 

 To combine these, or as many of them as possible, in the same strain of 

 alfalfa, calls for the constructive work of a skilled and experienced 

 breeder, who should possess, 05 should know how to utilize, the combined 

 knowledge of the trained scientist, the experienced agronomist and the 

 practical farmer. 



THE SEED. 



The spirally coiled pod of alfalfa contains from three to five seeds. 

 The shape of the seeds is generally curved, sloping to an angular point 

 at one end. Many seeds are kidney shaped, and some few are rounded, or 

 rather oblong. The seed when dead ripe is of a deep golden yellow color. 

 Seed with a greenish tinge is slightly immature, but will grow. Brown 

 or blackened alfalfa seed is generally poor. Frequently it is seed that has 

 sweated and in which the embryo has died. It is always wise to reject any 

 sample of alfalfa seed containing many brown, black or shriveled seeds. 

 Good alfalfa seed should be plump, yellow, and free from weed seeds, 



