PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES 293 



may drop to zero or below. Sometimes ram which falls 

 freezes over the surface, forming a sohd coating. These 

 conditions in this state destroy the alfalfa just as the 

 flooding does it in the West, and while alfalfa may be 

 carried successfully through the winter, if the season is 

 favorable, I believe the chances are too great to make it a 

 promising crop. Last winter we carried some through 

 successfully and have done so once or twice before, but 

 my advice to Rhode Island farmers is to grow the clovers, 

 soy beans, and possibly cowpeas rather than attempt to 

 embark in growing alfalfa until it has been definitely 

 shown by experiment that the climate and other condi- 

 tions can be successfully combated, 



SOUTH CAROONA. 



Prof. C jL. Newman, Agrkulturisf South Carolina 

 experiment station. — We have, to some extent, had re- 

 markable success with alfalfa. On the old exposition 

 grounds at Charleston, over six tons of cured hay were 

 cut last year on one acre. This year one cutting aflford- 

 ed 4515 pounds of cured hay. In the upper portion of 

 the state, alfalfa is grown with considerably greater dif- 

 ficulty. At Anderson, the county seat of Anderson 

 county, there is an alfalfa field that was sown 65 years 

 ago and it still affords some return. 



SOTTTH[ DAKOTA. 



Prof. James W. Wilson, Director South Dakota ex- 

 periment station. — ^Experience shows that a good stand 

 of alfalfa can be secured, if ordinary care be exercised in 

 preparing the seedbed* It is not a plant that does well 

 when sowed on the native prairie sod after disking. On 



