The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1912-01-20

Supt. L. r. Waldron of the Dickinson
experiment station at the Grain Growers
convention in Fargo on the 10th:
ALFALFA SEED PRODUCTION
There is no reason to doub, but what
alfafa will play very important part
in the agriculture of North Dakota, as
it has already in Kansas and Nebraska.
There are many difficulties in the way
of developing large acreage in North
Dakota. but these difficulties can
scarcely prevent the ultimate attain
ment of reults. One of these difficulties
is the securing of proper seed.
We have been told that the way to
raise alfalfa is simply to SOW the seed.
1t is not a simple matter, to obtain the
seed to SOW. seed that is suitable for
our conditions. Alfalfa is naturally
hot weather plant, but varieties have
been produced that will endure the cold
of North Dakota. The seed of such
varieties is comparatively scarce and
it is an important matter for us to con-
slider the subject of alfalfa seed pro-
ductlon.
SOUTHERN SEED TENDER
1t has been found repeatedly that
alfalfa seed brought from sources of
its most abundant production. from
the states of Colorado. Utah and Cali
fornia, is unsuccessful when sown in
North Dakota, so much so that often
scarcely half or fourth of the first
years seeding will persist through the
FIRST winter. Even seed from Montana
is not at all certain in hardness. II
must be remembered that the alfalfa
seed in Montana. is produced in the
winter wheat regions. If winter wheat
will live through the winter wheat
sections of Montana but will not in
North Dakota it is easy to believe that
the alfalfa that persists in Montana
: may not persist in North Dakota and
this is often times found to be true.
1t is illogical to consider Montana,
Colorado or any other state as the
natural source of alfalfa seed for this
state regions. North Dakota should grow
its own alfalfa seed. When the alfalfa
acreage of North Dakota has increased
so that our farming methods are upon q
rational basis, so that our agriculture
is built upon a permanent foundation.
then the alfalfa acreage will approxi-
mate 5000. 900. But this apparently
large acreage would mean only about
IS acres upon each quarter section of
arabic land. none too much for the
crop making the best hay on earth.
PRESENT ACREAGE
The present acreage in North Dakota
is quite unknown, but it certainly is
not above 5000. It is seen at once
that it will require several years to
work up to the desired acreage, and it
will require also large quantity :oi
seed, even to increase the acreage as
rapidly as desired.
wish to take an optimistic view of
{ the future agriculture of North Dakota,
and to do this, let me assume that in
the course Of the next 10 or is years.
the alfalfa acreage in the state will
increase a thousand fold. 70 SOW such
an area would require some "a. 600. 000
pounds of seed. Assuming yield Of
200 pound per acre, it would require
10000 acres to produce the required
.lount of seed.
Fortunately this amount of seed does
not have to be produced at once. bu, il
needs to be produced as rapidly as pos.
sible in order to keep any where neal
the, demand. am giving you these
/. figures in an effort to impress upon
/. you the seriousness of the alfalfa seed
proposition at the present time.
might mention that often one makes q
,''strike" in alfalfa seed production.
Mr.. Brevie Of Mckenzie county, fol
instance, raised bushels of Grimm
seed from " acre in 1911. This woult
easily sell at the rate Of $t44 per acre
OUTSIDE DEMAND
North Dakota is not the only STATE
that is making an effort to secure hard,
alfalfa seed. 1t has been found that
certain strains of alfalfa. particularly
the Grimm. succeeds better in the n0tl
central and in the north Atlantic state'
than other alfalfas. Thus the state,
east from North Dakota, to the Atlanti,
ocean, as far south as Pennsylvania
Ohio and Indiana. are desir0us o
securing northern grown alfalfa seed o
hardy strains.
The alfalfa plant is peculiar in pro
;. ducing seed, it requires special con
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