166 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 154. 



effect upon alfalfa; at least it seemed to kill most of mine after the first 

 crop was cut. 



J. B. Sawyer (Bradford). — Crop suffered because of the severe drought 

 in 1913. 



Howard W. Foster (Lowell, R. F. D. No. 1). — Condition of the 

 crop compared with a year ago is much better. 



John L. Smith & Son (Barre) . — If it were not for witch grass should 

 sow the rest of the field. 



H. K. Herrick (Blandford). — Results obtained are encouraging. 

 Shall try more. 



Selection of Seed. 



The experiments described in earlier pages indicate that the 

 Grimm ^ alfalfa is superior to the common, but the latter has 

 given satisfactory results in many cases. Whatever the variety, 

 it is important that northern-grown seed be selected for New 

 England use; and not only that the seed purchased for sowing 

 shall have been grown in the north, but it should be descended 

 from as many generations as possible of northern-grown alfalfa. 

 It will be wise, as already pointed out, to purchase only on 

 guarantee that the seed is free from admixture with the seed 

 of dodder.^ Where this parasite becomes established success 

 with alfalfa becomes impossible. 



Time and Method of Seeding. 



Alfalfa may be sown with success either in early spring 

 with a nurse crop or late in summer with corn or alone. Sow- 

 ing alone in late summer is attended with less risk than any 

 other method. 



Spring Sowing. — Alfalfa sown in spring will usually start 

 well, but in order to keep down the annual w^eeds which are 

 almost sure to be abundant in our better soils it is essential 

 to put in a nurse crop; and at the season when this is cut the 

 w^eather is frequently so hot and dry that the young alfalfa is 

 seriously injured. When seeding in spring it is recommended 

 that the quantity of alfalfa seed should be about 25 to 30 

 pounds per acre. Either oats or barley will serve best as a 

 nurse crop, and about 1 bushel of either will be sufficient. 



Seeding in Corn. — In some cases seeding to alfalfa in the 

 standing corn according to the method of seeding to grass, 



> See page 156. • See page 153. 



