Vol. LXVIII No. 3075. 
NEW YORK, JANUARY 2, 1909 
WEEKLY, $1.00 PER YEAR. 
ALFALFA IN CONNECTICUT. 
Its Future in New England. 
Alfalfa has been tried in Connecticut for a great 
many years. In a few cases it has been a success; in 
a large number it has been a failure. But even the 
failures have contributed toward success, for they have 
supplied many needed facts, and have brought a 
clearer understanding of the difficulties to be en¬ 
countered. It is particularly encouraging that in spite 
of the failures, many farmers are so thoroughly opti¬ 
mistic in their belief in the ultimate success of the crop 
that they persevere in their efforts. The writer, also, 
believes in the ultimate success of the crop in New 
England, but it is impossible not to be struck with the 
fact that the articles in the agricultural press, and the 
addresses at institutes and Granges are usually of two 
kinds. They are either exaggerated predictions of 
Alfalfa as the panacea for all farm worries by the 
man who has made its growth a success, or disgruntled 
adverse testimony from the man who has failed. Why 
not look at the matter in a rational way? Let us be 
optimistic, but conservative. Consider, first, the con¬ 
ditions that must be complied with in Alfalfa growing; 
second, the points wherein eastern conditions are espe¬ 
cially inhospitable to the plant, and third, such prac¬ 
tical facts as have thus far been shown to aid in 
dealing with these particular conditions. 
That the crop has sometimes been a success in this 
part of the country does not necessarily mean that 
its culture is destined to become widespread, but it 
does mean that when proper surroundings are sup¬ 
plied, success is possible. If it is found that these 
conditions can be obtained on large areas it will be" a 
great thing for eastern agriculture; if not, then half a 
loaf is better than none. It is, certainly, a wonderful 
crop, well worth considerable time and labor in learn¬ 
ing its peculiarities, its habits, its particular needs. 
We need experiments; not experiments calculated to 
produce additions to general knowledge, but practical 
farm experiments to determine how to conquer or to 
dodge the obstacles raised by varying local require¬ 
ments. If these experiments are planned with due re¬ 
gard to what is already definitely known on the sub¬ 
ject, successes will be 
multiplied; otherwise 
time is simply wasted 
and additional failures 
discourage others. 
In the first place, Al¬ 
falfa is characterized by 
a large, deep-growing 
tap root and few second¬ 
ary surface roots. The 
length of this root gives 
the plant one of its val¬ 
uable qualities, for its 
feeding surface is down 
where the roots of or¬ 
dinary field crops do 
not penetrate. There it 
thrives, utilizing food 
materials that are inac¬ 
cessible to other plants, 
but making them avail¬ 
able when its roots de¬ 
cay. This tap loot grows 
until it reaches the per¬ 
manent water table, if 
that is physically possible. It does not penetrate the 
water table, nor does it rot, it simply stops off short, 
strikes work, as if the water table was a non-union 
shop, into which it could not enter. 
Right here we meet obstacles number one. The 
permanent water table in many soils of the Eastern 
States is very near the surface. If it is far enough 
down to allow an ample root system everything goes 
well; but if this root foundation is cut to only a 
fraction of what the plant demands, poor results must 
be expected even if no allowance is made for actual 
A STALK OF ALFALFA. Fig. 1. 
physiological injury by the water. At the surface there 
first shoots up a single stem, but as the plant grows 
older, other sister stems arise until sometimes as 
many as 30 are growing side by side from the 
same original root. If the top of the root is split, so 
much the better; it aids in the production of more 
shoots. Disking has been practiced with success in 
this connection, but it is not to be advised until the 
plants have obtained a good, healthy start in life, 
because of certain conditions in its growth. 
1 his brings us to obstacle number two. The Alfalfa 
stand mar thicken a little by adding these new stems 
at the crown of the root, but it does not have the 
means for getting over the ground possessed by the 
strawberry or our enemy, the twitch grass. This gives 
us no natural means of redress if we do not get a 
normal stand from the first seeding, for it is a losing 
business to try to patch up a poor stand by other plant¬ 
ings. The new plants never seem to be able to over¬ 
take the others and fill the gaps. The original stand 
must be good, or the whole piece might as well be 
plowed again and reseeded.' The man who is stingy 
with his seed is not economical, in spite of the high 
price. Unhappily even a plentiful supply of seed does 
not always remedy matters. Our rainfall mounts to 
too large a figure for weed enemies not to take ad¬ 
vantage of it. I believe if I were asked to give the 
single factor that does the most toward retarding suc¬ 
cess with Alfalfa, the answer would have to be— weeds. 
Like the poor, we have them with us always. They 
are the focus of the arguments on the time of seeding. 
Whether this is to be in the Spring or Fall must be 
largely a matter of convenience, Put the following 
recommendations will be found worthy of considera¬ 
tion whichever time is adopted. Plow the land several 
weeks before intending to seed. Then run the weeder 
over it every three days. Keep at the weeding until the 
weather conditions favor a quick germination of the 
Alfalfa. If it is then seeded, the young plants will 
have a long handicap over the weeds. 
When the plants are about three months old the little 
tubercles of bacteria should begin to show upon the 
roots. If they do not appear, then the apparatus for 
obtaining nitrogen from the soil is lacking. If the soil 
contains large quantities of available nitrogen, some¬ 
times the tubercles will not appear until later, for the 
plants will use soil nitrogen when possible. There are 
few soils in New England, however, but what are 
deficient in this element of plant food, and if tubercles 
do not appear with four months from germination 
something is wrong. Do not conclude prematurely 
that the bacteria are not present, for if the plants are 
pulled up roughly, all of the nodules may be torn off. 
To test the matter several average plants should be 
carefully lifted with a spade, and the soil soaked away 
in a bucket of water. If they are not found, it may 
be due to one or both of 
two causes. Either the 
bacteria are not present 
in the soil, or the soil is 
too acid to allow their 
normal development. 
Practically all our gla¬ 
cial coast soils, except 
those overlying lime¬ 
stone rock, are acid in 
varying degrees. Even 
the limestone soils often 
become acid in the first 
six inches, and need 
stirring up with a sub¬ 
soil plow to remedy the 
matter. Other soils need 
to have from 500 up to 
2,000 pounds of fine 
ground limestone rock 
thoroughly incorporated 
in them down to the 
plow line, to make them 
fit culture media for the 
bacteria. This initial 
application, however, is something of a permanent in¬ 
vestment, for after this an application of say 200 
pounds once every four years is sufficient to keep them 
sweet. 
I wish I could recommend a firm furnishing fine- 
ground limestone at a reasonable rate, but at present 
I can only say that it can be purchased at prices 
