Ai.falfa Seed Yields 
15 
One method of laying off a field with irrigation for the rows where alfalfa is to be seeded 
in rows The same method may be used to seed alfalfa in narrow beds. The ground is 
soaked by running water in the irrigation furrows. 
happens that alfalfa plants growing on ditch banks, where the soils 
are continuously wet, will give good sets of seed. Such contradictory 
evidence is hard to explain. But it seems that climatic conditions 
and a number of undetermined factors have more to do with the 
question of successful seed setting than any particular amount of 
water. 
Another observation in this connection which is difficult to 
explain can be found almost any year in almost any field left for seed. 
Frequently in such fields one portion will fail to receive enough 
moisture on account of the ground being too high or the water not 
being run long enough in spots. Near such spots, portions of 
ground will be found frequently where the soil becomes too wet on 
I account of the ground being at a lower level. Such low levels 
will collect the water until the soil becomes so wet that the alfalfa 
will grow too rank for seed production, while the dry spots will 
not have water enough to produce seed yields. 
It would seem that between these two extremes, there should be a 
^ zone where the moisture supply would be just right for successful 
seed production. But such a zone is seldom found. 
This would indicate that seed setting in alfalfa is not dependent 
solely on any definite amount of soil moisture. Consequently, there 
must be other very important factors infiuencing seed production. 
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