GROWING ALFALFA SEED. 433 



the confined stamens and pistil fly up and the pollen is dusted 

 against the stigma and over the insect, or, in case of hand pollina- 

 tion, the instrument which is used to spring the little flower 

 trap. Thus the insect, passing from blossom to blossom, mixes 

 the pollen of many flowers, hut the hand pollination has shown 

 that the blossom may be fertilized with its own pollen. 



Farmers are divided upon this point as to whether insects are 

 necessary or useful in the pollinization of the flowers. Many 

 maintain that as good crops of seeds were produced many years 

 ago, before bees were introduced into a certain locality, as are 

 produced now. Others state that in a locality where bees are 

 kept there is no noticeable difference in seed yields near apiaries 

 compared to yields from fields further away. Such data, how- 

 ever, do not disprove the facts as stated above. Doubtless other 

 insects besides bees assist in fertilizing the alfalfa flowers. If 

 you will observe an alfalfa field in full bloom you will usually 

 find it swarming with insects of various kinds bees, flies, butter- 

 flies, millers, ants, and sometimes grasshoppers although it is 

 doubtful whether the latter are of any benefit, and certain it is 

 that they are often a pest when numerous. It is quite possible 

 that ants are among the important insects concerned in fertilizing 

 alfalfa blossoms. There is some proof that bees do assist in pol- 

 linating the alfalfa flowers. 



Although reports on this point have not been very authentic, 

 there seems to be little question but that bees may assist in fer- 

 tilizing the alfalfa blossoms and thus increase the yield and im- 

 prove the quality of the seed. At this station alfalfa plants cov- 

 ered with fine netting produced no seed except in flowers which 

 pushed through or against the netting, allowing fertilization by 

 insects from the outside. On the other hand, adjacent plants not 

 covered were well filled with seed pods. 



There should be a double benefit to the alfalfa seed grower 

 who keeps bees, for not only may he secure larger yields of a 

 superior quality of seed by reason of the work of the bees, but 

 the alfalfa is one of the most valuable honey plants. In the 

 alfalfa districts of the state the yield of honey per hive, according 

 to the report of Secretary Coburn of the State Board of Agricul- 

 ture, is much larger than in the sections where alfalfa is but little 

 grown; and not only may the bees in alfalfa districts make 

 double or treble the usual amount of honey, but this honey is 

 very superior in quality, unequaled even by the white clover 

 honey of the eastern states. "In favorable seasons, 100 pounds 

 of honey per hive is no uncommon yield in alfalfa regions." 



Which Crop to Save. The region lying west of the Missouri 



