32 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



To grow alfalfa successfully here in New England, let us first find 

 out what is adverse to its culture. 



First, the Soil. Most of our soils are naturally well drained, so 

 that there is n't the necessity of tile draining in preparation for 

 alfalfa that there often is in the Middle West. The first requisite 

 to successful fields of alfalfa, that the water-table shall not be 

 within 3 or 4 feet of the surface, is thus met. 



How about the soil? Most of the New England soils are of 

 glacial formation, and while they do possess many qualities favor- 

 able to alfalfa growing, there is one very essential ingredient in 

 which they are generally deficient and that is lime. Alfalfa is 

 above all a lime-loving plant, and so dependent upon lime is it 

 that there is small chance of establishing a permanent field unless 

 there is naturally or has been applied sufficient lime to correct the 

 naturally acid condition of the soil. 



This plant belongs to the legumes, a class of plants that have on 

 their roots when growing in a neutral or alkaline soil, numberless 

 small nodules that contain the .numerous nitrogen-gathering bac- 

 teria. These have the power to draw nitrogen from the air and by 

 symbiotic action benefit the plant during its growing period. 

 These organisms cannot live in an acid soil. Neither does a crop 

 of alfalfa thrive unless the roots are well noduled, hence the neces- 

 sity of frequent and liberal applications of lime. The element, 

 nitrogen, is the most important to all plants and the most expensive 

 to purchase, so all that can be drawn from the air should be used. 

 A ton of alfalfa hay contains 44 lbs. nitrogen, so that a crop of 4 

 tons per season, not an unusual crop, would contain 176 lbs. nitro- 

 gen, at 15c lb. equals $26.40, two-thirds of which, according to 

 Whiting, is taken from the air by the bacteria on the roots. What 

 a vast gain, when we consider further that about one-third of the 

 nitrogen in the whole plant is in the roots. The fertilizer value of 

 the roots and stored fertility, according to Professor Voorhees, 

 from an acre of alfalfa is $65.00. 



The second benefit of lime when applied to our New England 

 soils is to furnish sufficient calcium for the needs of the plants, for 

 a ton of alfalfa hay contains 59.86 lbs. of lime or a four-ton crop 

 would remove 236 lbs. of actual lime per season from the soil. 



It has been well settled that alfalfa will not grow upon an acid 



