170 Report oF THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY OF THE 
in fine garden condition. In New York, as elsewhere, this im- 
portant matter is frequently neglected. 
ACID SOIL. 
In other states® and other countries it has been found that fre- 
quently a dressing of lime is an important aid in securing a stand of 
alfalfa. Some experiments made by the Cornell Experiment Sta- 
tion* and the experience of farmers show that the same is true in 
New York. It is believed that the success of alfalfa in Onondaga 
county is due, in large part, to the large amount of lime in the soil 
there. What proportion of the soils of the State require liming 
before alfalfa may be grown upon them successfully is not known. 
The Bacteriological Department of the Station has in progress some 
experiments which are expected to throw light on this point, but the 
results are not yet available. It is the popular opinion that the soil 
on many of our farms is too acid for alfalfa. 
WET SOIL. 
An excess of water in the soil is another serious trouble of 
alfalfa. It should be understood that alfalfa will not thrive on wet 
land. Just what degree of wetness is prohibitive to alfalfa culture 
can not be stated. Coburn,® of Kansas, says that alfalfa does not 
do well where water is nearer to the surface than six feet or where 
in winter water will stand on the ground for over forty-eight hours. 
In New York, a fair degree of success has been attained, fre- 
quently, with the water table considerably nearer the surface than 
six feet. Where water stands within three feet of the surface it is 
unwise to attempt to grow alfalfa. The usual symptoms of “ wet 
feet’ are stunted growth and yellowish or reddish discoloration of 
the foliage. 
Although it was in New York that tile drains were first used, 
there are still large areas of agricultural land in the State needing 
underdrainage badly. It appears that the benefits of underdrainage 
are not yet fully realized by many of our farmers. 
* Miller (66); Williams and Kyle (109); Hopkins (47); Duggar (24). 
‘Hunt, et al. (48). 
*Coburn (15, p. 44). 
* A discussion of heaving is given by Sorauer (97, 1: 65). 
