The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-04-01
Alfalfa iCOatinuea.l

Alfalfa lC0atinued.)
! EDITOR JOURNAL One OF the greatest
, difficulties in tire successful culture OF
this plant, is the myriad weeds that take
complete possession of the soil. In gard
cning ont upon orr prairles, one is scarce
ly prepared to believe, that beneath
the dull grey of its uplurned sod, there
SAUNDERS all the "colors Of Eden" and
yet it is so. The shining share" has
only 10 be driven, and the miracle OF
vegetable growth is renewed before our
eyes. Modest floweret ard noxious weed
spring up In Joyous competition, and
jostic each other in friendly rivalry upon
/ the road. Weeds are part Of the "pri-
NAL CURSE and as in the matter OF most
curses, Kansas has more than her share.
! His don't suit Alfalfa. 1t spends its
I term of years. It's fibre wants tough
ening, lis texture and tail, beth need
hardening, il has 10 undergo summer
sun aud ting frost unscathcd, or lose
its character. 1t may have to bore for
water upon "arlesian" principles, or
die OF thirst. L. wants all the air, mois-
ture and sunlight it can get. TO keep
down the weeds, ard give it these essen
tiais, we SOW grain with II. Oh all tho
grains barley is best. | sowcd mine with
wheat, because | had no barley. The
first week in Apr! DO OF believe too
soon to SOW The first of May will do
Ii should not DO put in deeply with II
harrow. a brush perhaps is best. More
grass seed Of all kinds is les, by putting
in too deep, than too shallow. If we
nucW when one Of those curiosiiics, an
" April showor," was coming, would
SOW Just before it, and then let it alone.
intend 10 SOW some this coming fall,
early enough to catch the first rams and,
feel satisfied it will get growth enough
TO pass it over The winter, and then IT
will stand in advance Of all weeds in the
spring. 1t might be well TO SOW it on
sod broken this spring, In June, and then
cross ploughcd, and well narrowed next
spring. 1t weuld have good seed bed,
and but few if any weeds. We can only
prove our theories of practical value by
actual experiment, they may mostly fail,
but they leave us the posscssorS of adj
vanced knowledge. 1t seems TO me n ore
valuable for hay and for " soillug," than
for pasture. For hay it should be cut
green, and only wilted IN the sun, and
then cured in the shade by putting in it
" cock" All stock cat it cured Green
it is valuable. Hogs grow lat on it,
When made into hay in California it is
steamed and fed with corn to hogs. 1t
will revolutionizc both the stock hog and
porker in time. Horses stay fat upon it
in its green state without grain, unless
hard wrought. When pasturcd and eaten
close II sends out lateral or side shoots,
close TO the ground, that render it hard
TO NOV and gather, the upright stalk is
favorable to the heaviest yield and great
est facility in gathering. So meadows
should be kept by themselves and graz
cd cautiously If Ut all. | would not Craze
at all. The top protects in winter; if q
little too heavy, run the harrow over in
the spring and it starts green and early.
1t will stand much tramping by stock
and live, but do not believe it will yield
a large bite Of grass when grazed con-
SANITY. | would like TO SOW IL pounds (
per acre if could afford it, and about
the LIST Of April-Rot after May 1st on
any account. Nine has now begun TO
grow rapidly. Those interested can by
calling at the Office of the Saline Coun- /
IL Journal see small sample Of nv
alfalfa OF last summers sowing, and .
Judge OF It's ability to stand drouth and
cold. 1t should be understood that mono
of the roots but two of the longest were
extracted entire. They range from II
to 9 inches in length, and these were
pulled up by hand, and kindly treated;
it has been out of the ground ten days,
aHd is still growing and leaiing out Of
this writing. 1t simply stands in water.
The top was eaten of by calves IN the
winter. Mr.. Sampson will take pleas
ure in showing it 10 any of the farmers
who may care TO see il. Deep blowing,
fine soil, freedom from weeds, plenty Of
seed with early sowing. seem tne prin-
cipal points in raising it successfully.
4 Italia is identical with Lncerne and
has been grown for centuries in France
and Germany as I sailing plant. Car
ried from thence 10 South ,merica II
comes 10 Us IS "Chih clover or
90 Spanish alfalfa" The seed can be got
in Salina at fifty rents per pound. In
San Francisco, California, for twenty five
cents per pound, with cents additional
on each pound as postage. ! would rath-
cr have mine from San Francisco. The
laws OF vegetable growth are not arbi-
trary. There is IN elasticity in the con-
sti,uiion Of plants, as well as ANIMALS,
they adapt themselves within
certain imits-to altered conditions Of
climate and soil. can readily believe
that "alfalfa from the high table
lands OF Chill and the Pacific slope, is
better suited to our peculiar climate con-
diuons, than that produced in low and
humid country like Holland, whose air
must necessarily be moist, reclaimed as
it has been, from the Dominion of the
Sea. L. r SwITZER.
Saline County kas, March 9th 1875.
/" Some sermoniZers," SAID Sidney
! = L