File:Annual report of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Minnesota (1902) (14755551846).jpg

Identifier: annualreportofag1119021903univ (find matches)
Title: Annual report of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Minnesota
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: University of Minnesota. Agricultural Experiment Station
Subjects: Agriculture
Publisher: St. Paul, Minn. : The Pioneer Press Company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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r western states.In the region south and west of the Missouri River, it foundcongenial conditions and has proved of immense value tofarmers throughout that country. Alfalfa belongs to the same family as clover, peas andbeans, the legume family. The young plant, at first, has asingle stem, but as this is cut off or grows older, it branchesand forms a crown with many stems. The plant has astrong tap root with smaller lateral roots as feeders. Thistap root goes deeply into the soil and finds moisture evenwhen far below the surface. On the roots are found tuber-cles, or small nodules, (see figure 2), similar to those foundon red clover roots, and by means of these tubercles, whichare induced by bacteria, the plant is enabled to gather anduse as plant food, free nitrogen of the air, so that in commonwith red clover and other members of this family, it notonly has the power of storing up within itself large quanti-ties of that valuable nitrogenous material protein, but by ALFALFA ROOTS. 151
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FiCT 2.—Alfalfa roots, showing the nodules. 152 ALFALFA. the accumulation of roots, it leaves the soil richer in thiselement than it was before producing the crop. ProfessorDavenport, when speaking of the members of this importantfamily, says: They not only work for nothing and boardthemselves, but they pay for the privilege. These plantsare the only ones of any agricultural importance that canuse the atmospheric nitrogen, and they can do it only withthe aid of certain bacteria. Figure 3 is typical of the alfalfa plant in blossom, andshows its peculiar habit of bearing the flowers all along thestem and not simply at the tips as the clover blossoms areborne. The seed is formed in spiral pods as shown in theillustration Fig. 4. Unlike red clover, alfalfa is a perennialand lives for an indefinite period. Near Lake Minnetonka,fields have been producing alfalfa for thirty years continu-ously. Seeding.—The young alfalfa plant is rather delicate anda weak feeder consequently the seed bed

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