PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES 28 1 



In many instances, where lime had not been used for 

 many years, none was applied at the time of seeding. In 

 the case of those having more or less success, the recom- 

 mendations were not fully observed or soil conditions 

 were imperfect. 



D. C. Lewis of Middlesex county, in the summer of 

 1903 seeded about ij4 acres with alfalfa, observing 

 closely all of the recommendations of the experiment sta- 

 tion in reference to seeding, but did not inoculate the soil. 

 The seed germinated well, and the crop grew nicely dur- 

 ing the fall, but entirely disappeared later. In 1904, the 

 same area, after an oat crop was grown, was seeded 

 again, on August 10. The soil is a clay loam, with a 

 clay subsoil, and in a good state of fertility. The land 

 had been previously in grass and corn. The corn was 

 manured and the alfalfa area well limed previous to seed- 

 ing in 1903. The seed was at the rate of about 25 

 pounds, and at time of seeding 800 pounds of Mapes' 

 fertilizer and an extra bag of high-grade sulphate of 

 potash were applied, and the field was inoculated with 

 about 300 pounds of soil, taken from the old alfalfa 

 patch at the experiment station. The seed germinated 

 well, and made a rapid and large fall growth and passed 

 the winter successfully. The yield per acre was about 

 three tons of hay for the first cutting. This experiment 

 is strikingly suggestive in showing the importance of soil 

 inoculation, for while inoculation is not apparently essen- 

 tial in all cases, it would seem that where soils have 

 not been heavily manured that this point should be care- 

 fully observed. 



