20 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



land and Virginia, numerous experimental fields of alfalfa 

 planted in 1907 failed to survive where inoculation was 

 not secured. This was the case even in well-fertilized soils. 

 The plants grew to a height of about four inches and then 

 gradually turned yellow and died. Under the conditions 

 of these experiments alfalfa seems absolutely dependent 

 on root nodules for successful growth. In contrast to this, 

 alfalfa is said to have succeeded well in Kansas from its 

 first introduction in that state, but no observations are 

 recorded in regard to nodulation. 



According to Kirchner, no nodules had been observed 

 on soybeans grown in Europe up to 1895, although this 

 plant had been successfully cultivated since 1877. 



