6 BULLETIN 138, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



SUMMARY. 



Russian Turkestan produces the largest supply of alfalfa seed for 

 export. 



Turkestan alfalfa seed is distributed into international trade 

 through Germany, chiefly through the port of Hamburg. 



Turkestan alfalfa has given uniformly poor results wherever 

 tested in Europe, and none of the tests of commercial Turkestan seed 

 in this country has given as good yields as were obtained from local 

 seed. 



Approximately one-fifth of the alfalfa seed used in the United 

 States is imported, and practically all of this imported seed now 

 comes from Russian Turkestan. 



Commercial Turkestan is the cheapest alfalfa seed in the European 

 market, and its wholesale price in this country is less than that of 

 domestic-grown seed. 



The retail price of Turkestan alfalfa seed in this country is usually 

 higher than that of domestic seed; consequently, the seedsman's 

 profit on it is greater than on domestic seed. 



Commercial Turkestan alfalfa is particularly unsuited to the humid 

 eastern portion of the United States, while it is not as hardy as other 

 strains in the North and everywhere recovers slowly after cutting, 

 thus reducing the hay yield. It is relatively short lived and is a 

 poor seed producer. 



Russian knapweed, a weed similar in manner of growth to quack- 

 grass, Johnson grass, and the Canada thistle, is constantly being 

 introduced in Turkestan alfalfa seed, and by the presence of this 

 weed seed commercial Turkestan seed may be easilv identified. 



