ALFALFA 



317 



379. Influence of source of seed. The general con- 

 clusion to be drawn from the available data concerning 

 the influence of the source of the seed of alfalfa, is that 

 the best results are as a rule to be secured from locally 

 grown seed, provided there is no difference in variety in- 

 volved. It may happen that a newly introduced variety 

 or strain is superior not on account of source of the seed 

 but because of inherently better qualities. 



In places where alfalfa is grown, but which must depend 

 on distant sources for seed, the question of the relative 

 value of different regional strains becomes important. 

 Elsewhere this factor is of minor consequence. 



In Germany and France several investigators have 

 compared the relative behavior of plots sown respectively 

 with seed of American and of European alfalfa from dif- 

 ferent sources. In all the trials reported the yield of hay 

 from the American seed was least. At Hohenheim, 

 Germany, Kirchner found American alfalfa more subject 

 to mildew than European. Provence-grown alfalfa seed 

 is held in high regard throughout Europe, but comparative 

 trials have not shown that it bears consistently heavier 

 yields than other European grown seeds. 



At three Danish experiment stations, the following 

 results were secured with regional strains : 



