No. 4.] ALFALFA GROWING IN MASSACHUSETTS. 129 



to me something important that has been overlooked. In 

 New York State they have tried to get it and have offered 

 more money, but I have felt an interest in New England, 

 and New England has had her share so far. 



Mr. Palmerton. Might I ask for the best people to deal 

 with ? 



Mr. MiTCfiELL. There are several kilns near Pittsiield 

 not owned by the lime trust. 



Mr. Palmeeton. The rate from there to here is some- 

 thing like $2.25 a ton. 



Mr. Mitchell. It is 5^^ cents, and going east, only $1.50 

 a ton, clear into Boston for $1.40 a ton, on the Boston & 

 Albany road. The other roads have not given us suitable 

 lime rates, the Boston & Maine in particular. 



Mr. Wing. The railroad people, a great many of them, 

 are interested in agriculture and they have the farmers in 

 mind, and it seems to me that if they are properly inter- 

 viewed they might learn to give you the right sort of lime 

 rate. In Illinois and several other western States the roads 

 haul it for ly^ cent a ton a mile, and that is the rate you 

 ought to have here. 



Secretary Wheeler. I would like to ask what is the 

 relative advantage between inoculating with some of the 

 bacterial preparations or cultures and with soil. Do you not 

 think that using soil, taking it from one farm or one center 

 to another and sowing it, is likely to introduce very danger- 

 ous weeds which wouldn't be introduced by using the 

 culture ? 



Mr. AVixG. There is something in that. Cultures cost 

 $2 an acre, and that is my first objection. I believe they 

 are now fairly efficient, and if you have used the am.ount of 

 manure that you really ought to have, you will get inocula- 

 tion with the culture, I am sure. However, we have never 

 been particularly afraid of weeds in alfalfa. I believe you 

 have more permanent ones in Massachusetts than we have. 



Mr. Mayo. This is an introduced weed (indicatino- a 

 plant). 



^fr. WijStg. There may be something in that which miaht 

 frighten me more than I have been frightened. 



