LYMAN’S GRIMM ALFALFA. 
The Editor of National Alfalfa Journal, in an article entitled “Alfalfa with 
a Real Pedigree,” writes in the issue of March, 1916, relative to Lyman’s Grimm, 
as follows: 
A n up-to-date farmer would hardly think of buying a pure bred cow wit'a- 
out getting her pedigree. The value of the pedigree has been taught until 
we understand that it is necessary to know from wdiat families have come 
the animals we buy. 
It is just as important that we have pedigrees of alfalfa seed. The editor 
has maintained this for some time, but has not said much about it because 
there wasn’t very much to say except theory. Here are some facts, however, 
and I present them because I know they will 
stand out as the very best argument that could be 
given. This is the story of what has been done, 
not what I think might be done. 
The story is about A. B. Lyman, the man who 
has put Grimm alfalfa on the map and who has 
had in use for some time an accurate system of 
pedigrees. He hasn’t started a registry book 
with a fee for each lot of seed registered. He 
has done all of the work of keeping pedigrees 
merely to feel sure in his own mind that he was 
selling his customers what he claimed. No doulit 
he had a vision that some day farmers would de- 
mand a pedigree of alfalfa and wanted to be pre- 
pared for it. 
Now what has been the result? 
Mr. Lyman can give an exact pedigree of every 
field planted from his seed. It all traces l>ack to 
the original stock brought to this country from 
Germany by Wendelin Grimm. 
No, this system does not prevent unscrupulous 
parties from trying to take advantage of the repu- 
tation gained by Grimm alfalfa, but it does en- 
able Mr. Lyman to prove that what he sells is 
what he claims it to be. He took me out into his seed house to show me some 
seed. It was in a double sack and the inside sack was sealed. This seal is 
broken when the seed is repacked for retail, but another seal is put on so that 
if a customer receives a package with the seal broken, he knows it has been 
tampered with by someone along the way, and he can immediatelj' get another 
shipment in its place so as to be sure that he is getting true Grimm. 
I hope that this story of Mr. Lyman’s methods will give someone else a 
hint and will bring about the production of more pedigreed seed. The average 
man who raises seed doesn’t know for sure just what kind of seed he is grow- 
ing, and, of course, cannot tell his customers what kind it is. If we need a 
pedigree registry like the livestock men, we’ll have it, but first we need a few 
men who are willing to keep their pedigrees as carefully as Mr. Lyman has. We 
would be glad to hear from you if you have any ideas on this subject.” 
A. B. LYMAN 
