The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-08-30
ARGENTlI &
ALFALFA SEED
NOT FAVORED
Tests Show Il Il Net Hardy
Enough-Grimm Seed Rest
For North Dakota

FargoS N. d., Aug. 30 -L4sD--Ar-
gentinc alfalfa seed, regarding which
the federal department Of agricul-
ture recently held hearings to de-
terminc whether or not IL should be
marked rs unsafe for use In the
United States, has little chance Of
appealing to the North Dakota, farm
er, according to l.. L. Waldron, plant
breeder at the North Dakota Agri-
cultural College and an ardent ad-
vocate Of legumc crops.
Agriculture in North Dakota may
be expected to progress step by
step with the increase in the legunae
acreage" Waldron said. "Due to exrly
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 through the
North Dakota Grimm Alfalfa A.
ISOLATION with the same assurance Of
securing high quality Of product o.
II one were ordering nationally ad-
veftiscd automobile or other stand.
ard product.
EARLY experiments conducted in
western North Dakota Indicated
plainly that reliance must be placed
upon very hardy types OF alfalfa.
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 grent demand for
GRIMM seed the price has remained at
comparatively high figures, thereby
inducing the importation Of cheap
seed to substitute for Grimm.
I'm 1929 at Fargo New York
seed house supplies the state expert
mont station with q sample Of Ar
gentine alfalfa. known as the Chubut
variety. said to have come from
the coolest alfalfa region Of the
country. 1t was supplied to the sta
ton with the belief that It would
be sufficiently hardy for North pa
kota. This was planted beside the
standard alfalfas. including the
Grimm variety. The winter Of 1928
"a was comparatively warm, as. the
winter temperature Of Ia degfe&s
was six degrees above normal. In
spite OF the comparatively warm win
ter the Chubut suffered severely, d.
less than 10 per cent Of weak plants
remained alive when survival counts
were taken in the spring OF 1924.
Grimm alfalfa killed less than one
per cent.
Experiments conducted at the
MichigaN experiment station have
shown Argentine alfalfa to be unde-
sirable there. The second season
yield, following u mild winter, was
satisfactory but in 1926 Argentine
yields were less than half Of those
secured from the Grimm variety.
while it is likely TINT very few
North Dakota farmers would sbw
Argentine alfalfa it is we'll 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
lathe Cossack variety which original
ed in South Dakota"
A pamphlet issued by the North
Dakota Grimm Alfalfa association
shows this state has u fine record
for its 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 ut the last four shows.