PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES 317 



open yards in December, January, and February, and 

 made them gain i6o pounds per steer in three months. 

 If beef on the Pacific coast would bring 3 cents, there 

 would be no better investment than alfalfa. In 1892, 

 we sold hay for $60 per acre ; to-day it will not sell for a 

 third of that 



WEST VIRGINIA 



Prof. J. H. Stewart, Director West Virginia experi- 

 ment station. — Very little alfalfa is grown in West Vir- 

 ginia. Within the past four or five years some stimulus 

 has been given it by current publications, etc., but exten- 

 sive growth has not obtained as yet. The attempts to 

 grow it on our small farm at the experiment station have 

 in fact been failures. However, there are a few small 

 tracts that have done well in portions of the state. Hon. 

 T. B. Davis of Mineral county and E. W. McNeil of 

 Hardy county are persons who have been successful. I 

 am frank to say, however, that the experiences and prac- 

 tice thus far in this state have not proven it to be a de- 

 pendable crop. 



WISCONSIN 



Prof. R. A. More, Agronomist Wisconsin experiment 

 station. — Alfalfa is receiving great attention in Wisconsin 

 and dairymen have been quick to perceive its value. 

 Through the efforts of the experiment station, alfalfa 

 seed has been disseminated in every county in the state 

 and crops have been grown which were highly satisfac- 

 tory. Experiments at the station show that as much 

 protein can be secured from one acre of alfalfa as from 



