76 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



On this showing he remarks : 



''Although it was not definitely stated, I take it that the 

 Colorado and Utah hay were grown by irrigation, while 

 the New Jersey and Kansas hay received no irrigation. 

 It will be observed that while the percentages of protein 

 and fat in the Utah samples are low, the percentage of 

 carbohydrates is high; yet the Colorado samples grown 

 under irrigation show a larger percentage of protein 

 and fat than the Kansas samples grown without irriga- 

 tion. The crude protein often varies in quantity accord- 

 ing to the stage of maturity of the alfalfa when it is cut 

 for hay, as shown by experiments at the Kansas station, 

 and described in Bulletin No. 114. 



"The general conclusion may be that the protein con- 

 tent of alfalfa hay will decrease to some extent, accord- 

 ing as the supply of water furnished the crop is increased ; 

 that is, by supplying the right quantity of water, a 

 better quality of hay may be grown by irrigation than is 

 often grown in humid climates in soil which receives only 

 the natural rainfall. From what I know of the Colorado 

 and Utah stations, I would judge that the quantity of 

 water supplied at the Utah station was much larger than 

 that supplied at the Colorado station. At the Colorado 

 station the supply of irrigation water is often limited, 

 and hence, the larger percentage of protein and fat which 

 appears in the samples of hay grown and analyzed at 

 that station.'* 



The annual report of the secretary of agriculture 

 (1904) says that at the Utah station a series of co-oper- 

 ative experiments is in progress to determine the water 

 necessary, and the most favorable method of application, 



