The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-03

q
year record exists for Wertheim. Only
once In this time has a temperature OF
less than 20 degrees r.. been experience
ed. Only thirteen OF thirty 1--WE winters
have had temperatures below zero
while twenty-five have had minima
ranging from 2 degrees # to is degrees
+. During the same years C1s73-1s0D
st. Paul has never experienced a winter
with minimum as high as 10 degrees
F..
That Grimm alfalfa should suffer
from winter killing In it's transfer
from such mild to such severe condi-
tons was inevitable. That ii is gtilI
undergoing selective acclimatization ia
shown by the numerous experiments
reported on In the present bulletin.
The region surrounding Grimn's
old home and the adjacent parts of
Wurttemberg and Bavaria have been
for several centuries the chief seat of
production OF "alt- deutsche frankische
Luzerne," variety highly priced in
southern Germany because Of its su :
perior hardness as compared with the
French and other south European al
falfas. The writer has been fortunate
in obtaining number Of samples OF
this old Franconian strain, one COM
Ing from within six miles of Wendelin
Grimnl's old home.
1t is not possible to assert positively
that "alt-deutsche frankische Lug
erne' Is the progenitor of Grimm alfai
ia, but 1t seems altogether likely that
this is the case.
Nevertheless, II would be unwise to
import seed directly from the original
source, expecting that it would behave
the same as the Minnesota grown seed.
In the nursery-row experiment at
Dickinson, N. D.. row of Grimm al
falfa killed out less than 8 per cent,
while an adjoining row of old Francon-
ian alfalfa under conditions that might
be termed absolutely identical killed
out rs per cent.
The great hardness. and conse-
quently the great potential value of
Grimm alfalfa, has been amply sub
Stimulated by the Investigations of the
bureau Of plant industry and by the
independent experiments of the the
Minnesota, South Dakota, Northh Da-
kota and Montana experiment stations
Further confederation exists in the
experience Of a considerable number
OF northern farmers, who have time
and again planted seed of ordinary
strains of domestic and foreign origin
only to have their stands gradually
deteriorate to a point where they were
no longer profitable and had to be
plowed up and who have subsequently,
sown Grimm and obtained enduring
stands.
1t now becomes a matter Of the
greatest Importance to propagate a
sufricient supply Of seed In order that
Grimm alfalfa may be generally grown
In the area where 1t is most valuable.
Resistant as the strain is, 1t still sur
fers slightly in winters Of unusual
severity.
Only by determined effort can a suc-
cessful alfalfa industry be established
In our cold northern country. Farm
ers who have fields or plats of this
strain should grow seed whenever pos
sible, even If doing so sometimes causes
a loss to them as compared with hay
production.
Grimm alfalfa grown for seed should
not be grown in close proximity to
otner tender sorts, as crossing goes on
very freely and there is strong evil
dence for believing that the harder
strains are weakened thereby, and
vice versa.
In his annual report for 1907 the
secretary of agriculture predicted that
the further extension Of alfalfa grow
Ing on large areas is a prize that win
De worth hundreds Of millions Of dol
lars yearly. With due persistence and
an intelligent use Of present knowledge
the north and northwest can now be-
gin to collect at least part of their
share Of this prize.
Forum Want Ads are business getters.