
Page 6 
Alfalfa is Easy to Grow When Seeded As It Should Be. 


Clover seed, magnified 9 times. 

i 
This shows the root system of Grimm alfalfa. A three-year old plant. 194 stalks of hay 
growing from one plant. 
HARD SEEDS 
These hard seeds will germinate almost 100% if given a little time, but it takes a longer 
period for the moisture to soak through the hard seed coat and germinate. Beware of seeds 
with low hard seed content; they are not northern grown hardy varities. 
By CARLTON S. GARRISON, Asst. Extension Agronomist, Rutgers University. 
‘Hard seeds are not ‘duds’; they are live seeds which fail to absorb moisture and sprout 
when Kept for the offiical time of six or seven days in a laboratory under good growing con- 
ditions. 
“The amount of hard seeds in Alfalfa, Red Clover and Sweet Clover seldom need be of 
concern in determining seeding rates. Moderate delays in germination due to hard seeds may 
thicken the stand by the end of the growing season.” 
By spreading germination over a longer period of time, hard seeds often reduce the risk 
of partial failures due to unfavorable conditions due to seeding. Sometimes there are as 
many as 80% hard seeds before hulling, but the scratching of the seed coat during the hulling 
“process reduces the percentage. They are a provision of nature to insure the reserve of live 
seeds in the soil. 
In all these northern origin alfalfas you will find quite a lot of hard 
seeds. This is only nature’s protection against the cold climates and while 
the ‘seed may not all start as quickly as southern grown seed, practically 
all of it will grow and will be much hardier than any of the south or south- 
western grown seed. Southern grown seed will show very few hard grains, 
sometimes not more than 10%, while some of this good Montana grown 
seed will often show as much as 40 or 50% hard seeds in a seven day test. 
But, just forget about the hard seeds, plant these hardy northern grown 
alfalfas and Sweet Clover, and you will get a good stand. : 
KANSAS ALFALFA 
A large part of the Kansas crop was Seeded last fall which leaves a rather 
short supply of Kansas seed. In sections south of us we have had very good 
results with Kansas Alfalfa, but would advise keeping it in a latitude where 
it belongs. Our Kansas seed is all well recleaned and practically all of it 
SOREN coer pom wenmg comeS from the very northern part of 
te : # Kansas, most of it coming from the first 
tier of counties south of the Nebraska 
line. For price see price list enclosed. 

SEED PACKED IN 
BUSHEL BAGS 
we 
% 

compared with grain feed. A good field will pro- 
us bs A Field of Fine Alfalfa, worth $35.00 per ton 
duce four tons a season. 
BIG WHITE BIENNIEL SWEET CLOVER 
This is a variety which is best for use as a fertilizer and also very good for pasture. It is 
now almost impossible to get pure White Blossom Sweet Clover, so we do not guarantee it 
to be entirely pure, but most of it will not show over 5% Yellow Blossom. The Yellow Blos- 
som comes on earlier than the White Blossom and you may think one-half of it is Yellow 
Blossom, but this will disappear and when the White Blossom comes out you will find there 
was only a little Yellow Blossom in it. However, the two make a very good mixture and we 
believe a good idea to sow a mixture of Big White and Yellow Blossom, 75% White Blossom 
and 25% Yellow Blossom. For price see price list enclosed. 
