2^^ Illinois State Dairymen s Association. 



Analysis of the Reports. 



In studying the reports herein presented, it must be remem- 

 bered that the experiments covered a period of only one year, and 

 that, therefore, too much dependence should not be placed upon 

 them. Both the conditions and the results varied very widely, 

 and it is not safe to draw hasty conclusions. Both good and poor 

 results were secured under almost every combination of condi- 

 tions, except where standing water and ice existed ; what one ex- 

 peri^eter found to be a good thing to do another found to be 

 useless, and all through the series we find many apparent contra- 

 dictions. Just what it is that makes the difference between suc- 

 cess and failure can hardly be determined from these reports, and 

 it is quite evident that we shall have to look further for the real 

 causes that produce failure. Except in the case of drouth, weeds 

 and standing water, it does not matter which one we take of the 

 factors on which reports were received, we find that where one 

 man failed another succeeded It may be safe, however, to con- 

 clude that since so many succeeded, the late summer seeding in 

 itself cannot be held responsible for the failures to any great ex- 

 tent. This is further borne out by the facts that the amount of 

 fall growth made does not appear to bear any relation to the 

 condition, of the crop in the spring, and that while much winter- 

 killing occurred in one place there was none in the next, although 

 the two cases appear to be quite similar. 



Concerning the time of seeding, the reports show that good 

 results were secured with various dates of seeding all through the 

 month of August. Of three seedings made in early September, 

 two gave fair results and one poor. Out of 38 plots sown be- 

 tween August 7 and 15, thirty-four (90 per cent) gave satisfac- 

 tory fall growth, and nineteen (56 per cent) of these were in good 

 or fair condition at the end of April this spring. Of the 19 plots 

 sown later than August 15, twelve (63 per cent) gave satisfac- 

 tory fall growth, and ten (83 per cent) of these were in good or 

 fair condition at the end of April this spring. These data indicate 

 that the date limit for successful seeding has scarcely been 

 reached in these experiments, and it seems fair to conclude that 

 with reasonable soil and weather conditions it would be safe to 

 delay the sowing of alfalfa as late as the middle of August, at 

 least, especially when we remember that in the fall of 1906 the 

 growing period was considerably curtailed by the heavy frosts in 

 the early part of October. Sowing about the middle of August 



