160 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 154. 



was much greater than in the crop from the summer sowing. 

 The weeds were not separated from the alfalfa the first year, 

 and during the second year only from the second cutting. 

 The method followed was this: just previous to the second 

 cutting, one square yard in each plot, which seemed as a 

 result of careful examination to be fairly representative in 

 both cases, was selected, and the entire product cut and 

 separated into three classes, viz., alfalfa, grass and clover, 

 and weeds. The results reduced to a percentage basis are 

 shown in the following table: — 



Spring-sown 



Alfalfa 

 (Per Cent.). 



Summer-sown 



Alfalfa 



(Per Cent.). 



Total weight, ' 

 Alfalfa, . 

 Grass and clover, 

 Weeds, 



100.0 



86.6 



1.6 



11,6 



4. Inoculation. 



Two experiments in inoculation by the use of a commercial 

 culture have been tried. The first was upon land fertilized 

 annually for a long series of j^ears with bone meal at the rate 

 of 600 pounds, and muriate of potash at the rate of 200 pounds, 

 per acre (Field D). The land had been used for a considerable 

 variety of crops. No alfalfa had previously been grown on it. 



The soil is a medium loam with a compact subsoil con- 

 taining considerable clay. The culture employed was Farmo- 

 " germ ^ and it was used, in accordance with directions, for the 

 treatment of the seed before sowing. In preparation for the 

 crop the soil received an application of lime appHed to the 

 rough furrow (and deeply worked in) at the rate of 3,500 

 pounds per acre. The grade of lime used was a so-called 

 agricultural lime containing some hydrate, but mostly in the 

 form of carbonate. The land also received a mixture of 

 fertilizers at the following rates per acre : — 



1 Farmogerm is made by the Earp-Thomas Farmogerm Company, Bloomfield, N. J. There 

 are now numerous other commercial cultures on the market, and numerous colleges and experi- 

 ment stations (this one among them) are now furnishing cultures for all legumes at cost to citizens 

 of their respective States. No effort to compare the different cultures has been made in this 

 station. 



