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oorn, as much wheat, as many potatoes as ordinarily 
grow in nine years on ordinary soil. One plowing 
against three; one seeding against three; one harvest 
against three; and six years "to boot” in which to 
again grow alfalfa. It is plain, as some one has 
said, ‘‘Alfalfa works for nothing and pays for the 
privilege.” 
The fourth effect of alfalfa growing upon the soil 
is a physical one. Why do we plow? Largely, 
probably, to obtain a certain desirable and necessary 
physical state of the ground. The best, finest, most 
economical job of plowing that has ever been done is 
being done by alfalfa roots. Think it over. 
ALFALFA 
The Addison County Farmers Association News, 
Middlebury, Vermont, From Article Published 
September 1st, 1917 
T he second crop of alfalfa has now been harvested 
on the alfalfa demonstration plots throughout 
the county. Results of both the first and 
second crops were as follows: 
GRIMM ALFALFA — Soil limed, seed inoculated — 
Yield first crop: 3,610 lbs. per acre. Yield second 
crop: 2,000 lbs. per acre. 
COMMON ALFALFA — Soil limed, seed inoculated 
— Yield first crop: 2,400 lbs. per acre. Yield second 
crop: 1,210 lbs. per acre. 
COMMON ALFALFA — Sod unlimed, seed uninocu- 
lated — Yield first crop: 1,530 lbs. per acre. Yield 
second crop; 770 lbs. per acre. 
It is well to take into consideration other factors. 
Let us see how the results show on the clay soils as 
compared with the lighter soils, such as sand, gravel 
and muck loams. Results follow: 
CLAY SOILS 
GRIMM ALFALFA — Soil limed, seed inoculated — 
Yield of first and second crops: 6,640 lbs. per acre. 
COMMON ALFALFA — Soil limed, seed inoculated 
— Yield of first and second crops: 4,238 lbs. per acre. 
COMMON ALFALFA— Soil unlimed, seed unin- 
oculated — Yield of fir.st and second crops* 3,600 lbs. 
per acre. 
LIGHT SOILS 
GRIMM ALFALFA — Soil limed, seed inoculated — 
Yield of first and second crops: 5,590 lbs. per acre. 
COMMON ALFALFA — Soil limed, seed inoculated 
— Yield of first and second crops: 3,210 lbs. per acre. 
COMMON ALFALFA — Soil unlimed, seed unin- 
oculated — Yield of first and second crops: 1,555 lbs. 
per acre. 
In looking over these results a few' things are notice- 
able: 
(1) The Grimm variety produced nearly as well 
on the lighter soils as on the clay soils. 
(2) The common variety where the soil was 
limed and seed inoculated produced only about three- 
fourths as much on lighter soils as on the clay soils. 
(3) The common variety where the soil was un- 
limed and the seed uninoculated was practically a fail- 
ure (and in all but two cases was an absolute failure) 
on the light soils: while on the clay soils it produced a 
fair crop. 
There is one other factor, drainage, which seems 
to have had an important bearing on the results, es- 
pecially where the Grimm variety w’as compared w'ith 
the common on clay soils. When the clay w'as well 
drained the difference between the yield of the Grimm 
variety and the common was not so great as where the 
soil is not well drained. 
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS: 
The reader should remember that these conclu- 
sions are taken only from the demonstrations carried 
on during the past two years, and while they are by 
no means conclusive, they should be well considered 
by men sowing alfalfa in Addison County: 
(1) The Grimm variety is superior to the com- 
mon on all soils. 
(2) Liming and inoculation is vital on lighter 
soils but is not nearly so essential on clay soils. 
This Grimm’s Alfalfa was planted June 
1, 1911. Picture Taken September 1, 1912. 
The First Cutting W'as Made June 20th. 
This is the Second Crop 
Seren 
