La Junta tribune., 1911-02-18

Sarelyss BOO Che matter Of seed seIrr-
Non.
The Colorado experiment station
VAS established lu Isse Il is lorar-
cd some eight miles west OF La
Iuuta. originally the farm compris.
cd 200 acres of land. aud experiments
included almost every kind and yari.
ely Of crops grown lu this section.
But results were not satisfactory and
all but forty acres Of the farm was
allowed Co revert 10 thr state. With
Als smaller tract OF land il became
necessary 90 counue experiments TO
enc or fwp nl rHo many varieties Of
crops common ru Otrro county And
with This specialization much Letter
results w.ru obtained.
For ihy past eight years phIlo X
EIiun. q graduate of tHo Colorado AE
riguluul College has boon ln charge
u tho farm. For some years fol
pWiuE his taking charge be- devoted
bis efforts toward producing a rust.
raslariuE oaHlaloupp. aud was quite
successful Then he bylau an eN-
lIustlyy study OF alfalfa with the
view Of Increasing both the yield
sf hay aud seed Last fall he made
a trip TO Minnesota and the Dakotas.
The great alfa,fa.arowiug states Of
she northwest, and spent sometime
with experts iu those states as well
as studying the best varieties Of al.
hIh rruwu there This trip. how
ever was merely supplemental tD the
already thorough experiments made
by Sir HItnu lie believed that be
Vas on the right track iu his cKpcr
ments and made the trip Ia order
20 Justify and confirm that belief A
variety u alfalfa which viii with.
stand the r.gurs of Minnesota or
Dakota winter and then make an
abundant yield the following asou
should thrive amaziu-ly Boz this see.
don. where the temperature rarely
Calls below zero. So argued Mr. Hliuu,
aud when hu learned that the great.
st producer in lhos. same states vas
lhr same variety which yielded the
best returns in his tests he knew
that his theory was right
DuriuE the course Of his expert.
nents. which hay, extended over a
period ot a.K yeats. SIR Hliun has
ulad out d total % fpry.ylEht differ
rnt varieties There we're varieties
from Japan. Spain, Germany. Africa.
Arabia Mexico, Argentine Eeuuudur,
as well as Arizona. Utah and the
northern states Those varieties were
slRu n small pIafs and rhrir growth
and Development closely watched.
After six years OF experimentation,
Mr UlIuu makes The following Dbsur
rat.ous
The attempt 60 impruy" the hay
and a.rI.yloIIlnE traits Of alfalfa by
systematic seed selection has had de-
g.IadIy curnuray yinE results although
u may yrr require several years of
close observation 20 fully determine
III" best types for hay and seed pro.
durt1u. The conclusions from some
Uf lun observations have been rather
doubtful, and there are reasons for
dIseouutiuE the value Of some OF the
contrasts that have appeared. For
Instance, the selections for ideal
leaf and atom qualities. made the
first season, during the Seeding
growth ot the plants In the nursery.
have since proven of little value, aA
there was a decided change In the
type Of foliage when the plants took
on more rapid and succulcnt growth
Tho same result would follow as the
effect OF environment. rather than
heredIty. for any trait that might ap.
pear. hence the problem In to select
plants tina, have an inhercn, power
for the production OF desirable quail.
ties. hut. with nearly hundred
strains TO consider and at least
score Of points Of variation appear.
Ing In endless combination. this has