AKID AGRICULTURE. 129 



vigor when changed to our soil conditions. Ger- 

 man alfalfa seed has done well in some localities, 

 but has nothing specially to recommend it. Oi 

 common alfalfa seed the discriminating planter- 

 will choose well when buying. That which is 

 grown in the ^orth will give better results than 

 that which is grown in southern sections of the 

 country. In some regions, alfalfa seed usually 

 becomes contaminated with sweet clover. Any 

 one with acute sense of smell can detect sweet 

 clover seed in alfalfa. There is no way of separat- 

 ing it, and while sweet clover is not a bad weed 

 in alfalfa fields (except in those for seed produc- 

 tion), the buyer does not like to be fooled with 

 any such adulterant. It is important that vari- 

 eties of alfalfa which are resistant to leaf-spot 

 disease and adapted to our conditions of soils 

 and climate should be produced. 



GOOD SEED Good alfalfa seed varies in color, but is usu- 



ally a bright golden yellow, or it may have a 

 slight greenish tinge. It should be practically 

 free from black, shriveled, immature seeds; it- 

 should be entirely free from dodder and other 

 dangerous weeds. It should be viable alive, 

 and germinate promptly when planted. Alfalfa 

 and other leguminous seeds often become so hard 

 that they will remain in the soil a year or more 

 before they germinate. Good seed is that which 

 will make the strongest growth, and such seed is 

 usually produced in the shortest season. 



