34 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



action in the soil and moisture will rise much more readily to assist 

 in the germination of the seed. The soil in which the seed is 

 planted should be made fine by repeated workings so that each 

 seed may be completely surrounded and enveloped in a coat of 

 soil grains, thus insuring good germination. 



Inoculation. 



The question of whether to use air-slaked or pulverized limestone 

 is not so important as it is to use sufficient lime in either form to 

 correct the soil acidity because the bacteria that we want to have 

 grow in the alfalfa soil and that are often found attached to the 

 small roots thrive only in an acid-free or alkaline soil. 



These bacteria have the power to assimilate nitrogen from the 

 air, a remarkable function but one that works great benefit to the 

 plant on whose roots the bacteria live. So important is this func- 

 tion that the plant not only receives sufficient nitrogen to produce 

 a large growth of green tops but there is stored in the roots from 

 $25 to S30 worth of nitrogen per season. 



To bring this condition about, if alfalfa is to be sown on a field 

 where it never grew before it would be very much more likely to 

 succeed if it were inoculated. There are two ways of accomplishing 

 this, now in common practice. One is to bring soil from a field 

 where alfalfa is growing successfully and that had nodules on the 

 roots. Take about 500 pounds per acre to the new field and sow it 

 broadcast, on a cloudy day preferably, and harrow it well into the 

 soil. That is all that is necessary. Then Avhen ready sow the seed 

 as usual. 



The other way is to procure from the U. S. Department of Agri- 

 culture, that will send to each applicant enough artificial cultures 

 of the bacteria to inoculate an acre; or similar cultures may be 

 bought of the manufacturers. These artificial cultures are used 

 on the seed by treating it according to directions. Then the seed 

 is sown in the usual way and the seeding completed. Either of 

 these methods is usually successful and the one to be used would 

 usually depend upon whether one could get soil from a nearby 

 alfalfa field or if that would be too expensive, then use the second 

 method which should not cost over $2.00 per acre. 



