The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-08-30
ARGENTINE
ALFALFA SEED
NOT FAVORED
Tests show II Is Not Hardy
En0ugh-Grimm Seed Best
For North Dakota

Fargo, N. D., Aug. 3O.--1A9.Ar-
gentine alfalfa seed, regarding which
the federal department Of agricpl-
ture recently held hearings to de-
terMine whether or not il should be
marked ~ unsafe for use In the
United States, has little chance OF
appealing to the North Dakota farm
err, according to L. L. WaldrOn, plant
breeder Mt the North Dakota Agri-
cultural College and an ardent I'D
vOeate Of leguluc crops.
Agriculture in North Dakota may
be expected to progress step by
step with the increase In the legume
acreage" Waldron said. "Due to early
experiments with alfalfa in North
Dakota, North Dakota grown Grimm
alfalfa seed soon secured an enviA-
BILE reputation over the northern half
Of the United States and portions
Of Europe. Certified Grimm alfalfa
seed can be obtained tArougA the
North Dakota Grimm Alfalfa As
ISOLATION with the same assurance Of
securing high quality Of product ~
II one were ordering nationally ad-
yertised automobile or other stand.
ard product.
EARLY experiments conducted in
western North Dakota Indicated
plainly that reliance must be placed
upon very hardy types Ut alfaifA.
In those experiments Grimm was
practically the only variety with
standing the rigorous tests. Four
strains Of alfalfa, coming from diff
ferent South American points, main
~ from the Argentine, were found
to kill practically 100 per cent. Due
largely to. the great demand for
Grimm seed the price has remained 1t
comparatively high figures, thereby
inducing the importation of cheap
seed to substitute for Grimm.
I'm 1923 Mt Fargo n New York
seed house supplies the state expert.
nent station with sample Of Ar
Eentine alfalfa, known as the Chubut
variety. said to have come from
the coolest alfalfa region Of the
country. 1t was supplied to the sta
tion with the belief that 1t would
be sufficiently hardy for North Da-
kota. This was planted beside the
standard alfalfas, including the
Grimm variety. The winter Of 1924
~ was comparatively warm, AZ the
winter temperature Of IL degrees
was six degrees above normal. In
spite of the comparatively warm win
ter the Chubut suffered severely, -as
less than 10 per cent Of weak plants
remained alive when survival counts
were taken in the spring Of lV24.
Grimm alfalfa killed less than one,
per cent.
Experiments conducted at the
Michigau experiment station have
shown Argentine alfalfa to be unde-
sirable there. Tho second season
yield. following u mild winter, was
satisfactory but in 1925 Argentine
yields were less than half Of those
secured from the Grimm variety.
While It is likely TINT very few
North Dakota farmers would SOW
Argentine alfalfa it Is well to have
the foregoing facts in mind. The
choice for North Dakota is Grimm.
One or two other varieties can prob
ably be recommended. One Of these
is the Cossack variety which originat-
ed in South Dakota"
A pamphlet issued by the North
DaFstI Grimm Alfalfa association
shows this state has u fine record
for it's exhibits at the Chicago Inter
national Grain and Hay show, win
ming two firsts and one second on
alfalfa and three firsts on sweet
clover at the last four shows.