268 Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



CLIMATIC AND SOIL CONDITIONS. 



Climatic conditions are probably the most important factors in grow- 

 ing alfalfa for seed. Hot, dry weather during the time the plants are 

 blossoming is necessary for best results. Conditions of drouth and heat 

 that produce a somewhat stunted growth of the alfalfa plants usually 

 favor seed production, while conditions that result in a rapid and 

 luxuriant development of foliage are unfavorable. Good seed crops are 

 rarely produced in Kansas when seasonal conditions are favorable for 

 the production of good crops of hay throughout the year. Climatic con- 

 ditions may be suitable for a seed crop of alfalfa, but if the soil contains 

 an abundance of moisture too rank a growth of alfalfa may result. The 

 soil should contain sufficient moisture to insure a fair growth of the 

 alfalfa plants, but not enough to start new shoots when the alfalfa be- 

 gins to blossom. Occasionally the soil may become too dry to even pro- 

 duce alfalfa seed. 



FERTILIZATION OF THE BLOSSOMS. 



Honey-gathering insects appear to have an important part in causing 

 the fertilization of the flowers or the "setting on" of alfalfa seed. This 

 legume produces flowers that are dependent on some foreign agency to 

 bring about fertilization. The flowers are perfect; that is, both the 

 pollen and the pistil are produced in the same blossom, but they are so 

 arranged that certain parts of the flower have to be released before the 

 pollen comes in contact with the pistil, thus causing fertilization to take 

 place. The process of releasing the flower parts is known as "tripping." 

 Tripping is usually caused by honey-gathering insects coming in con- 

 tact with the flower parts, but it may be accomplished artificially by 

 inserting a pointed object into the flower or by pressing the flower be- 

 tween the thumb and finger. Ordinarily the presence of honey-gathering 

 insects is necessary to insure a good crop of seed, although there may be 

 other agencies that cause the "tripping" of the blossoms. As a rule, the 

 alfalfa flower is cross-fertilized, the pollen being carried from flower to 

 flower by insects, but it is able to "set" seed when self -fertilized. 



WHICH CROP TO LEAVE FOR SEED. 



In Kansas the second or the third hay crop is left for seed, depending 

 on the season and the locality. In the western portion of the state the 

 seed is usually produced from the second cutting, while in central and 

 eastern Kansas the third cutting is most often utilized for this purpose. 

 Good seed may be produced from any one of the season's crops, providing 

 soil and weather conditions are suitable. As a general rule the crop 

 that would otherwise be the next to the last cutting of hay is the most 

 practical one to leave for seed. The time required to produce a crop 

 of seed is about the same as that for two cuttings of hay. When the 

 seed crop is produced the latter part of the summer the chance of losing 

 part of the growing season for the production of hay is greatly lessened. 

 Alfalfa that has made a crop of seed usually does not produce a satis- 

 factory cutting of hay, in that its normal function for the season has 

 been performed after seed has been produced. Climate and soil condi- 



