The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-07
GROWING ALFALFA.
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT
 TO HELP FARMERS

To Raise This Valuable Forage R.
 cent Letter to Congressman LiiIey by
 Connecticut scIen,,hc AsrIouIturis,.
 A recent letter from a scientific agri- culturist in Connecticut to Congressman Lilley has resulted in the latter's look ing up a matter of the keenest interest to every farmer in Connecticut. It con- cerns the growing of alfalfa in Con- necticut and the distribution of bacte- ria by the agricultural department at Washington for this purpose.
 Alfalfa is the most valuable forage crop known to the scientific farmer to- day, and in a state where the land is such that the farmer who means to sue ceed must find the very best crops to grow this crop successfully, the land over forage crop the farmer puts in must be the most valuable he can find. But the growing of alfalfa in Connecti- cut has not been a success. In order to grow this crop successfully the land where 1t is planted must be inoculated Wlth sah from a field where alfalfa has alreaay been grown in some quantity With success, since only the particular bacteria on which the plant feeds are food for it. Obviously, it would not be possible to inoculate land in this man. her, though it has been done in a very limited way.
 
 rms IS Where the agricultural depart ment comes in. Obviously, again, if the farmer could get in sufficient quantities the bacteria necessary, he could grow alfalfa with success. And the depart lnent has been cultivating this bacteria for some time past. It is now ready to send inoculating material to any farmer Who wishes to grow alfalfa-or any of the other common legumes, peas, beans, cloVers. vetches, etc, though alfalfa is the one in which there is especial inter- est in Connecticut at this time. These nitrogen fixing organisms will be sent on application to any farmer who wish es to aid in testing their efficiency. In connecticut practically the only one of lhe leguminous plants which the far mers are unable to grow successfully now is alfalfa.
 Application by them to the agricultur- al department will bring circular let ter recently issued by that department, which says, among other things:
 AS general rule, the quantity sent to each applicant will be sufficient to i lnoculate little more than one bushel Of the seed for which the inoculation is desired. In special cases, however. when large quantities of seed are to be lnoculated directions for preparing the culture liquid will be forwarded and as much as is desired can be made up at a cost of few. cents per gallon.
 It will be necessary to write us stating what legume you wish to sow and giving approximately the date of planting, so that we may send you the organisms in the best possible condition. This is necessary, as our methods re- quire the inoculation to be made either before or at the time of planting the seed.
 The bacteria are beneficial only in connection with legumes and are not applicable to other farm or garden Ntopp' HfVH Wilh ieguneS these bac- terra are orf no decided benefit except when the proper nodaie forming organ isms are lacking in the soil, but cro of legumes with nodule-forming bacte- ria improves the soil for succeeding crops"
 The sending out of these bacteria is in the hands of the bureau of plant indus try of the agricultural department, of which B. T. Galloway is the chief