Show REMARKS FROM I TILE AGRICULTURAL COLLEnE The Tho Seasonal Behavior of Alfalfa Flowers ns as Related to Seed Pre f ro i I In general It may be said th the t when alfalfa flowers on the average aver aver- ago age are from one to three days ii In Inthe the full bloom stage and from two t to five days In the wilted stage th the chances are greatest that they wUl wil form seed pods On I the the other hand bane handI if they remain unduly long In either eithe stage tage without change the chance chanres are very veT great that they will fat fall from the stalk without pod pods When the commercial seed grower grow grow- or er examines his crop and thinks o oit of It In terms of probable yield hi he notes first the apparent number o of lower flower stalks containing mature pods Ho observes also the relative num number or of pods on each talk stalk II It Itis is obvious that bo both h a large number of stalkS beaTing bearing pods and a reasonably reasonably reason reason- ably large number numb r of pods on ea h stalk are essential to produce a a large crop of seed From studies made on the Uinta Basin Alfalfa Seed Experimental Farm it was found that during the Season of 1926 an average of 74 of flower stalks carried pods poids containing containing con con- mature seed at harvest time The per percentage for the seasons of 1927 was 84 during June and 91 peT per cent during July Of the total number of f flowers produced on the stalks an average when allowed allowed allow allow- of 23 formed pods ed to develop naturally during 1926 In 1927 the percentage of flowers to o form pods was on the average 36 When the flowers were artl- artl an average of 56 pods In 1926 and 65 In 1927 Of 01 the total number ot of flowers observed observed ved to develop under natural con 10 became trIpped It would therefore seem that alfalfa flowers dowers are capable of forming pods rather f freely ly In the absence of trip trip- pin in Under natural of development do- do flower stalks beering nasty many flowers produced proportionately proportion proportion- more pods than did those havIng hav- hav Ing ng a fewer number of flowers Under Un- Un ler der conditions of tripping the he reverse order held true or the fewer ewer the number of flowers per talk stalk the greater was the proportion too pods It has boon been supposed bY some alfalfa al- al alfa falfa seed growers In the Basin that It f a good crop of seed is to result the he ch chances In development of the lower flower while forming ng seed eed pods should hould occur In rather rapid success success- Ion on In other v orris for the flowers flow flow- the fresh looking ers rs to remain In full ull bloom stage for many days without with with- out ut showing mowing a tendency to wilt or oror for or them to wilted unduly both considered as con li- li long ong are Ions HOM unfavorable to seed product product- studies of the seaonal seasonal sea sea- Careful Ion n. n Very onal of nearly 1200 indi vidual alfalfa flowers show that a ap p of only one o or two days for forthe the he flower In the full bloom stage is 3 most favorable for the setting of pods eds The percentage of flowers I setting etting pods pod decreased on the average aver aver- the second in full age go each e day after loom bloom until the seventh when no mOle pods were formed During the first two days In full bloom every lower flower had two chances of forming a pod to one of stripping On thi th of stripping third hard day the chances I were rero about equal to those of I a pod and on the fourth day In full doom bloom the chances of stripping wore were two wo to one for tor forming pods After the he flowers had become becom wilted the of forming pods were never nevert at t any time than equal to those the he setting o of pods After the fourth lay day in the wilted condition It op DP seared to be almost certain that would strip flowers I fore ore they could form pods |