» 56 Bulletin N0. 125. I
( _ its check, but the difference is so very small that it cannot be re- (_
· garded as of consequence when the results of the tests of alfalfaand  `
A soy beans are considered at the same time. { A  
Attention is directed to the great difference of yield between 5  i
clover and alfalfa, sown in the same soil and at about the same  *
time. If all our tests of alfalfa had proved as satisfactory as those {  V
* made in the spring of 1905 we should. recommend it without any  .
A _ reservation as a better plant for Bluegrass Kentucky than red clover.  
Our first tests were made on land entirely unadapted to the plant  -_
and during seasons somewhat unfavorable to it. The later ones  
were ma.de on what is perhaps average bluegrass land, and, as will _' 
be seen by the tables, have done much better. = 
‘ Alfalfa is certainly worthy of trial by Kentucky farmers. Our z
. ‘ plots, four years old this spring, appear to be good for another four  
. years, and may last longer., `  
Cultures Used o_n Poor Soils. _ ii
But it has sometimes been said, "You cannot expect cultures to  
show up well on land alreadywell supplied with combined nitro-  
gen," as was the case in thg plots of our tables, 2, 3, and 4. t
On March 10, 1905, some tests of alfalfa were started in flower  _
pots filled with ordinary building sand. It was not sterilized, and  
the plants after coming up were watered from a hydrant. To l
prevent splashing and thus conveying material from pot to pot,  Y
treated and untreated pots were isolated by fences of glass. The j 
l results should under these conditions, approach results to be ob- _ ; 
tained by the use of cultures on poor land in field tests.  
Eight pots (1 a, 1 b,'3 a, 3 bg 5 a, 5 bg '7 a, 7b;) wereplanted  
. with seed treated, according to directions with the package, with all  `_
the ingredients of a dry culture bought of ia local seedsman, but -· ‘
evidently coming originally from West Chester, Pennsylvania. iv
When examined, the average height of the plants was 15.44 inches,  
and the average weight of the dry plants, 5.01 grams.  ?
Eightsimilar pots (2 a, 2 b; 4 a, 4b; 6 a, Gb; 8 a, 8b;) were
planted with seed treated only with the chemicals of the same cul- i
ture. The average height of the plants was 19.25 inches, and the  `
average weight per pot of the dry plants was *7.51 grams. i·