160 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



I want to refer to a remark made by a speaker in regard to 

 using cultures for clover. I don't believe there is any benefit 

 connected with it. I want to call attention to what clover will 

 do without cultures — without any nitrogen applied to the 

 soil. We don't want to forget in our enthusiasm for alfalfa 

 that clover is still a mighty good crop. We have, one field 

 where no nitrogen has been applied to the soil for twenty-five 

 years. That field was in clover last year. In 1913, in the 

 spring, this clover was sown with a thin seeding of oats, and 

 the crop in two cuts, on a plot to which no nitrogen has been 

 applied in any form for twenty-five years, and on which no 

 green manure has been grown and turned under, and without 

 any culture, but with plenty of acid phosphate and potash, 

 amounted to 4.27 tons of well-made hay. On a plot adjoining 

 this where we applied nitrogen every year in addition to the 

 same amount of acid phosphate, potash and lime, the crop 

 was actually a little bit less than it was where we had not 

 applied any nitrogen, — a fact of extreme significance. This 

 shows very clearly that you can raise the best of all forage 

 without nitrogen and without green manure. 



Mr. Prescott. I wanted to ask Mr. Jeffers if he thought 

 75 pounds of nitrate of soda was suflBcient to start an alfalfa 

 field with? 



Mr. Jeffers. Yes, we feel that it is. I have seen a number 

 of fields started this year and last that were established with 

 nothing but acid phosphate and ground stone, — 4 tons lime- 

 stone and 350 pounds acid phosphate. 



We have one field near us of 50 acres which was established 

 without any nitrate of soda. I think a little nitrate, though, 

 helps the crop along. 



While the alfalfa growers' meeting was taking place in the 

 lower hall the meeting in the main hall was called to order by 

 Mr. P. M. Harwood, general agent of the Dairy Bureau, who 

 introduced Dr. Charles E. North of New York City. Dr. 

 North delivered an address on "The Grading of Milk as a 

 Substitute for Dairy Inspection." 



