Alfalfa Seed Production. 
(A Progress Report) 
Philo K. Blinn 
Alfalfa is indispensable to the farmers of the western states 
for hay production and for keeping up soil fertility in their crop 
rotations. The area in alfalfa is rapidly increasing in many of the 
eastern states. Consequently, there is a large demand for alfalfa 
seed for sowing new fields, and each year the supply of desirable seed 
seems to be more limited. 
Considerable imported seed has been used in recent years, but 
with rather irregular success. Some lots of seed proved to be good, 
while others seemingly of different strains have not given satisfac¬ 
tion. In the absence of any pure seed regulations there seems to be 
no way of identifying the best strains of alfalfa seed on the open 
markets. Consequently, many of the farmers are preferring to sow 
home grown seed when it is possible to secure it, claiming better and 
more uniform results. 
It has become well established that some strains of alfalfa are 
superior to others, especially for some localities. It seems important 
that there should be developed an alfalfa seed growing industry to 
furnish a more dependable “home grown’’ supply of the best strains 
of alfalfa seed. 
Fifteen or twenty years ago, certain districts in Colorado were 
producing considerable alfalfa seed, even exporting some. Recently 
the same sections are growing barely enough seed for local demands. 
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During the early years of alfalfa seed growing in these districts, 
yields of seed varying from five to ten bushels per acre were quite 
common. Now it is seldom that a grower can secure a yield of more 
than three to four bushels of seed per acre. This is especially true 
on some of the best irrigated land. Such yields are not inducement 
enough for a farmer on high priced land to leave a crop of alfalfa 
to mature for seed. 
V 
The question as to why alfalfa is failing to produce seed as 
abundantly as it did in former years, has caused the Experiment 
Station to devote special attention to the problem. The solution has 
not been fully reached. But some results of value may be reported at 
this time. 
Factors That Influence Seed Production 
Influence of T / egetative Grozuth .—It is a recognized law of plant 
life that where plants are forced for vegetative growth, there is a 
tendency to weaken seed production. Many of our cultivated flower¬ 
ing plants are notable examples where the continued forcing for flowers 
and foliage, without regard to seed production, has resulted in the 
total loss of the power of such plants to produce seed. This is not only 
