AlFAL,! A 
!3 
this case was removed three inches deep to expose all the underground 
shoots, some of which were over eight inches in length. This plant 
was from a nursery row of the Grimm’s alfalfa, only six months 
growth from seed. The seed that produced this plant came from 
a field in northern Minnesota, over forty years of age. The budding 
area of such a plant is enormous. It will stand the loss of many buds 
without apparent injury and the soil protection will insure it against 
the usual winter cold. 
There is also a tendency for the underground shoots to take root 
at some distance from the old center crown. This may be seen by 
observing the numerous small roots that are expending beneath 
the large crown in Plate No. 2. In old stools of alfalfa of this 
type, the original plant has been found in some cases to be dead. But 
it was surrounded by a ring of healthy secondary crowns formed by 
the underground shoots that have taken root and formed independent 
plants. Thus the hardy type will maintain a permanent stand of plants, 
while the non-hardy type which has the upright compacted crown with 
the buds exposed, has scarcely any tendency to take root from the 
crown. This will result in serious injury, in time weakening and 
eventually destroying the plant. Thus the stand of plants in the 
non-hardy type is bound to become thin. 
Plate No. 13.— A portion of a 'select nursery row, from pedigreed seed, 
showing the uniformity and desirable type. Plants four months’ growth 
from seed. 
