LYMAN’S GRIMM ALFALFA. 
FROM GOVERNMENT BULLETIN NO. 209. BY CHARLES J. BRAND, 
BUREAU PLANT INDUSTRY, WASHINGTON, D. C. 
Page 21, Bulletin No. 209. 
“Recognition of the superiority of the Grimm variety over ordinary alfalfa 
by Mr. Lyman and through him by Prof. Hayes of the Minnesota Station, 
marked a third era in the evolution of alfalfa culture in the Northwest. The 
Grimm alfalfa is much hardier than the ordinary kinds obtained from Kansas, 
Utah and elsewhere, and there is even strong reason to believe that it is the 
hardiest known form of the cultivated plant. It not only endures extremely low 
temperatures with or without snow and other adverse conditions, but it can be 
cut with greater safety late in the fall and will bear more abuse in the way of 
pasturage than any other plant that has been compared with it until this time. 
There is some disagreement among investigators as to how Grimm alfalfa 
obtained its hardiness, but there is no difference of opinion that it is hardy.” 
Fig. 2. Montana (at the left) Compared With Stand of Grimm Alfalfa of 
Same Age (at the right). St. Anthony Park, Minn., August, 1909. 
In his annual report in 1907, the Secretary of Agriculture predicted that 
the further extension of alfalfa growing on large areas is a prize that will be 
worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually. With due persistence and an 
intelligent use of present knowledge, the North and Northwest can now be- 
gin to collect at least a part of their ultimate share of this prize.” 
In the fall of 1904, I sold the Bureau of Plant Industry, Washington, D. C.. 
their first lot of Grimm seed. One year I shipped the U. S. Department of 
-■\griculture, twenty sacks of Grimm alfalfa. The next fall, 1 sold it another 
load of 4.000 lbs. 
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