FIELD EXPERIMENTS 1906-8. 99 



date it stood from 12 to 16 inches high and seemed to be in 

 excellent shape for going into the winter, with the exception that 

 here and there through the piece were occasional plants effected 

 with the leaf spot of alfalfa, — Pscudcpedza mcdicaginis. The 

 alfalfa went through the winter of 1906-7 in good shape and in 

 the year 1907 three cuttings were made, and in the fall of 1907 

 the piece was still looking in very good shape. The leaf spot of 

 alfalfa had not gained any on the field and the plants were, for 

 the most part, free from disease. There was in the winter of 

 1907-8 an unusual amount of ice, with the result that the alfalfa 

 was entirely smothered out and in the spring of 1908 there were 

 only a few plants alive on the field. The Station has made no 

 further experiments in the growing of alfalfa and is not likely to 

 in the near future. 



It is to be remembered, however, that although there have 

 been hundreds of attempts in Maine to grow alfalfa and that 

 thus far no permanent success has been obtained, that negative 

 results do not reach to positive conclusions, and it may be that 

 some one will find a method of growing this valuable crop that 

 will be applicable to ]\Iaine conditions. There, however, can be 

 no hope of success unless pains are taken to inoculate the soil 

 with the bacteria which produce the root nodules whereby the 

 alfalfa plant, like other legumes, is able to acquire atmospheric 

 nitrogen. It is probable that this inoculation can only surely be 

 accomplished by obtaining soil from alfalfa fields where the 

 nodules are abundant. The culture method of inoculation is 

 still in the experimental stage and cannot, so far as the writers 

 know, be relied upon. Another seeming requisite is an abun- 

 dance of lime and if alfalfa is to be successfully grown, the field 

 will have to be heavily limed. Land that will grow clover luxu- 

 riantly will not of necessity carry lime enough for alfalfa plants. 



The following quoted from bulletin 126 seems to be as perti- 

 nent now as when it was written :— 



In order for alfalfa to be of value to Maine agriculture a 

 good stand must be obtained and the stand must be able to 

 continue not one, but several years. The Station does not 

 advice anyone in this State to grow alfalfa at present except 

 in an experimental way. That alfalfa would be a valuable addi- 

 tion to our forage crops needs no demonstration. If the difiicul- 



