CHAPTER II. 



Universality of Alfalfa 



ITS WIDE DISTRIBUTION 



As the history of alfalfa is traced in the preceding 

 chapter the conclusion is reached that its distribution is 

 not to be circumscribed by any hard and fast lines of 

 climate and soil. It is grown profitably in every country 

 of Europe, in central Asia, its original home, in Austra- 

 lia, the islands of the sea, and in almost every state and 

 territory of the United States, and in Canada. Only tv^o 

 states, Maine and New Hampshire, and only one ter- 

 ritory, Alaska, are left wholly in the experimental col- 

 umn. Everywhere else there have been such results as 

 to prove that it ought to become, in greater or less degree, 

 a staple crop on practically every farm, dependent only 

 upon more energy, faith and skill on the part of the 

 farmer, and a natural acclimation. There are several 

 other states such as Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecti- 

 cut, Rhode Island, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ar- 

 kansas and North Dakota where the experiment station 

 experts are not fully ready to recommend it as a regular 

 crop for every farm, yet, in each of these there are en- 

 terprising farmers who have for years found profit in 

 its raising. The station authorities in Vermont say that 

 success with alfalfa there "depends first on the man, and 

 second on the soil." 



