Experiments were conducted in two series of field plats in western Washington to ascertain the inoculating and nitrogen-fixing power of various strains of alfalfa nodule bacteria, their adaptability to a number of soil types in this area, and the effect of various fertilizer applications on nodulation and on the growth of alfalfa. The results of these experiments indicated with few exceptions that seed inoculated according to directions given for the various cultures and planted without a nurse crop at the rate of seeding customary in field practice resulted in satisfactory inoculation of the alfalfa with the large majority of strains of nodule bacteria tested in the various soil types included in these field plats. Although a good stand was secured in all cases, the alfalfa on all of the plats failed to grow satisfactorily toward the end of the first growing season and during the two following growing seasons. The application of lime and commercial fertilizers had no marked beneficial effect upon the growth of the alfalfa in spite of the fact that lime applied alone or in combination with commercial fertilizers caused marked increases in nodulation in the majority of the field plats. Differences in nodulation caused by the various strains of alfalfa nodule bacteria were not sufficiently outstanding to be significant, but marked differences in the first year's growth and thrift of alfalfa were observed in two soil types as a result of bacterial strain specificity. However, this increase in growth and thrift was not sufficiently great or lasting to make the alfalfa on these plats a success in its second and third years. Soil inoculation with nodule bacteria, soil drainage and physical condition, and soil reaction, although somewhat acid in all plats, did not prove to be limiting factors in the growth of alfalfa. Therefore, it was apparent that the available mineral plant food in these soils probably was deficient for successful growth of alfalfa and was not restored by a single but generous application of commercial fertilizers. Repeated fertilization with barnyard manure or green manure crops in addition to liberal applications of commercial fertilizers is suggested as a means of building up the available mineral plant food supply of these soils before seeding them to alfalfa.

The influence of lime status of volcanic-ash soil was examined by pot trials in conditions as similar as possible to those of the plantation. Soils used were fine juvenile Merapi ash, the most important soil for tobacco growing, and, as a contrast, weathered laterite. In laterite artificial graduations in lime status were achieved by mixing with increasing quantities of hydrated lime or S. The lime saturation and the base saturation were examined on clay < 5 m u* or < 20 mu* The laterite proved to be less saturated with Ca than the ash clay. Na formed a much larger proportion of bases in the laterite soil. Fe and Al were liberated in acid soil from which lime was removed, resulting sometimes in poisoning symptoms (leaf- spots.).Leaching of Cl was directly promoted by liming, resulting in decrease of leafC1 and improving so its fire-holding capacity. The colour of the fermented leaves became more drab and more even, but also darker by a high lime status. Seedling development in unfertilized ash soil was also improved by liming (turning dark green), and injured by addition of S (turning yellowish green).Aftereffects of lime status on the seed-beds could be observed after planting in the field and dressing with (NHAS04. The young plants from highly saturated soils showed a better development and leaf quality.

1. The authors have taken the yield data from one field experiment involving potash fertilization on pineapples and constructed yield curves. Such yield curves have been constructed for the plant crop and for the cycle crop, which in this case consists of plant and first ratoon. 2. The authors have made a number of yield curves and others, as well as the ones here submitted, convince them that yield increases attributed to fertilization very often follow mathematical expressions such as those set up by Mitscherlich and Spillman. 3. Attempts have been made to incorporate in this paper the mathematical methods of securing the best fit for yield curves and for other derived values so that they would be available in a widely circulated journal in the English language. The authors wish to give credit to other workers for many of the mathematical methods used. 4. It has been shown how the quantity of plant food arising from the soil can be calculated from yield curves. This constitutes a method of soil analysis which involves only yield data and computations upon them. This quantity, called by Mitscherlich the "b" value, may possibly serve as a good criterion as to the reliability of chemical soil analyses. 5. Any indicator crop used in the greenhouse will correctly forecast results in the field if on the same soil the R values are identical or if they always bear a constant value to each other. Yield curves thus serve to evaluate the suitability of indicator crops. This is of special importance with large crops having a long growing season, such as pineapples, sugar cane, bananas, and tree crops.

The influence of lime status of volcanic-ash soil was examined by pot trials in conditions as similar as possible to those of the plantation. Soils used were fine juvenile Merapi ash, the most important soil for tobacco growing, and, as a contrast, weathered laterite. In laterite artificial graduations in lime status were achieved by mixing with increasing quantities of hydrated lime or S. The lime saturation and the base saturation were examined on clay < 5 m u* or < 20 mu* The laterite proved to be less saturated with Ca than the ash clay. Na formed a much larger proportion of bases in the laterite soil. Fe and Al were liberated in acid soil from which lime was removed, resulting sometimes in poisoning symptoms (leaf- spots.).Leaching of Cl was directly promoted by liming, resulting in decrease of leafC1 and improving so its fire-holding capacity. The colour of the fermented leaves became more drab and more even, but also darker by a high lime status. Seedling development in unfertilized ash soil was also improved by liming (turning dark green), and injured by addition of S (turning yellowish green).Aftereffects of lime status on the seed-beds could be observed after planting in the field and dressing with (NHAS04. The young plants from highly saturated soils showed a better development and leaf quality.

Laboratory studies have established that there is a considerably higher germination of alfalfa seeds on blotters than occurs in soil in the laboratory as measured by emergence through 3/8 inch of sandy loam soil. When germinated in soil there was progressively poorer germination for greater and greater degrees of discoloration in the seed. Bright olive green seeds were highest with an average of 65.1%, whereas shriveled brown seeds were poorest with a germination of 18.7%. Scarification increased the total germination about 10 to 15%, but affected the brighter colored seeds the most. However, there was a total of 10.7% weak and moldy sprouts from scarified seeds as compared with 5.3% from unscarified. Tests conducted in the field repeated the laboratory tests except that instead of seven color separates used in the laboratory only three were used in the field. The color separates for field seeding were so made as to compare with the laboratory separates. Germinations in the field as measured by emergence were considerably lower in the field than under laboratory conditions when seeded at about the same depth. Bright plump seeds gave 67.2% in the laboratory and 48.8% under field conditions. From 75 to 80% of the plants which emerged in the field established themselves and grew for some weeks. Bright-colored seeds were found to be 38% more effective in the field than were bulk (check) seeds from the same lot, while in the laboratory the difference was 22%. Field plat experiments devoted to seed production also yielded valuable data regarding the percentages of discolored seeds produced. Significant increases in discolored seeds were found in the seeds produced from plats on which the seed crop was allowed to start late. This was accomplished by growing a hay crop before the growth from which seed was to be taken was allowed to start. The manner of harvest, the nature of field tillage, the sort of irrigation treatment, or the time of clipping the preceding growth (save for over-late clipping), all produced seed of the same color within the limits of error variations.