Re: alfalfa pellets

	It seems that in 1975, Dr. Stanley K Ries of Michigan State University 
established that alfalfa increased yields of certain plants.  He discovered
 t
CONTANOL, contained in the leaves of alfalfa, is an extremely
 powerful plant growth stimulant.  Alfalfa is also beneficial for soil organisms.   It has a very high vitamin A content, plus thiamine, riboflavin,
 pantothenic acid, niacin, pyridoxine, choline, proline, bentaine and folic
 acid, plus nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, calcium, magnesium and other
 valuable minerals.  Also included are sugars, starches, proteins and fiber,
 plus co-enzymes and 16 amino acids. 
for teas at $8.00/lb.
	Anecdotal evidence that alfalfa works in the garden comes from
commercial growers as well as home gardeners.  One says he has been using
 alfalfa pellets for five years.  At first he tried them in one bed.  That bed
 was outstanding, and so he used them on all beds ever since.
	Other growers prefer to pass the pellets through the horse prior to use.
	Some gardeners put a handful, or even a cupful in the soil in the hole

 while planting individual specimens. The pellets can be sprinkled over the
 top of the soil around established plantings and can be left to dissolve --
 they quickly turn into a mush -- or dug into the soil around the plants.
  Alfalfa is not relished by squirrels and because it quickly melds into the
 soil, does not seem to attract other varmits. Some rose and orchid growers
 make an alfalfa RteaS and spray the liquid directly on their plants as a
 foliar nutrient. 
	Alfalfa pellets are available from Agway stores or wherever cattle and
 horse feed is sold.  Agway in East Aurora sells a 50 pound bag for $8.49.
  The price in 1988 in another part of the country was $6.40 for 50 pounds. 
	Alfalfa pellets are a real RCounty-MouseS miracle substance. Farmers
 have been growing alfalfa to improve soil for a long time.  Now itUs available and has been proven to be successful for home gardeners, too.
	The technical information in this article comes from an article by Doris
 Simpson in The Daylily Journal, Fall, 1988.

Kay Berg -- That info comes from an article I wrote recently for a local 
publication.  Hope that and the comments from other folks will help you.

CarolynSchaffner in Buffalo, NY
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