i6 
COLORADO EXPERIMENT STATION 
to a limited extent but the season seems to be rather short for them 
and the young plants are easily injured by over watering. In one 
orchard where we were experimenting with this crop the plants made 
almost no growth, possibly because the proper bacteria were not 
present. Alfalfa has been tried by some, but at the mere mention of 
the word most orchardists will hold up their hands in horror. If it 
were not so difficult to plow it would certainly be an ideal crop for 
the purpose. We do not wish to give the impression that we advocate 
the use of alfalfa but is it not possible that a method of handling may 
be devised that will make its use possible, except in stony land? Why 
not plant it in rows? then cultivation could be carried on throughout 
the season if desired. Then if the tops are mown off before the seed 
has set there ought not to be a great deal of trouble with its spreading. 
If the turning plow is used when the plants are not over two years old 
it is not such a difficult matter to cut the roots and the ground will 
usually need to be plowed that often at least. But if one wishes to 
continue to grow alfalfa in the orchard it would be an advantage not 
to kill it out but to have it contiue to come up year after year. Mr. 
B. A. Smith, of Grand Junction, has been experimenting with alfalfa in 
one of the best orchards in the Grand Valley and he is very much 
pleased with the results so far. He does not plan to kill the plants 
but expects to use the plow and the disc as much as the land seems 
to require. 
