Alfalfa 
i5 
alfalfa, namely, a tendency to produce a poor yield of seed and a habit of 
very early starting in the spring, with a correspondingly early check 
in growth in the fall. Thus the first crop is made light or injured 
by late spring frosts and the last crop is cut short by the plants begin¬ 
ning to become dormant. Hence, for Colorado conditions, Turkestan 
alfalfa has not proven to be the most desirable. 
The results of the nursery tests seem to emphasize the fact that 
there is more significance in the TYPE OF THE PLANT from „ 
which the seed comes than in the variety name or the locality from 
which the seed may be derived. 
The alfalfa seed commonly sold on the markets has had no special 
breeding outside the natural selection from winter elimination. 
In Minnesota and in North and South Dakota, where the winter 
conditions are far more severe than in Colorado, the tests of alfalfa 
varieties for cold resistance have been very interesting. In several 
large variety tests, the same results have been secured, namely, the 
Grimm, Baltic and Turkestan varieties of alfalfa have proven to be 
the most hardy of a large list of alfalfas from different parts of the 
world. These results tally almost exactly with the results of similar 
tests in Colorado. All of these three strains have a distinct type of 
crown as compared to the type of crown found in the non-hardy 
varieties- The fact is the hardy strains of alfalfa have spreading 
crowns with underground root stocks and shoots with buds which are 
protected by soil, from winter freezing. 
The non-hardy strains of alfalfa have more upright stooling 
crowns with the bud areas very near the surface, exposed to winter 
freezing, thawing and drying out. Hence, there is a decided relation 
between the TYPE OF THE CROWN and its tendency to winter-kill. 
The stooling traits of the hardy strains are shown in the early 
seedling stage. This is illustrated in Plates n and 12. Plate No.. 11 
shows some seedlings of Grimm’s alfalfa only six weeks from seed. 
Plate No. 12 shows some ordinary Spanish alfalfa the same age. Both 
lots were taken at the same time and under the same conditions in the 
field. The heavy stooling habit of the Grimm’s alfalfa is wery evi¬ 
dent. The significant value of this trait can hardly be overestimated. 
It not only affords immunity from winter losses, but the protected 
underground buds are less liable to injuries from over,-pasturing 01- 
attacks from grasshoppers. The spreading crown seems to be associat¬ 
ed with a very much branched surface root system, in addition to the 
deep tap root. . This growth habit makes surface moisture easily avail¬ 
able- Hence, it is not surprising that the Grimm’s and Baltic alfalfa 
should have proven to be the best type for dry conditions- This is 
confirmed by the dry land tests. 
The Grimm’s, and Baltic strains of alfalfa have revealed the most 
promising traits in the Colorado tests, but the Baltic seems to be in 
the lead in seed production and slightly in the lead in hay yields. Ap¬ 
parently there is little difference except in seed yield, yet there are 
contrasts in the relative merits of different selections which are 
