The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-01-23
Alfalfa in the States.

When California was first discover
ed 10 be a gold bearing country, and
the great immigration of 40 and 80
occurred. letters from those .'pio-
neers'' represented the country agri-
culturally as a desert, and il was
thought that food for the miners
would always have to be imp rted.
1t was not anticipated that California
would become a food exporting cOun-
try, still lessa grass and stock-grow-
ing region. Bat irrigation solved one
question and alfalfa the other. The
old French Lucerne Medic go Sativa)
had long before been introduced into
Chill. and emlgrantS from Chill to
Californl to k t with them. and they
could scarcely have conferred on their
new home d greater benefit. 1t was
known tor a time as Chill clover,
but now better known and named by
its Spanish single name Of alfalfa.
Considering its well-known value in
France and Germany, it seems strange
that it was not long ago introduced
thence into the United States, and
widely cultivated. 1t is the most
saccharine of the g asses used for hav
or sOi,ing. and in Germany is largely
sown for soiling hogs. La the latitude
of 81. Louis, it should be sown about
the 1st of May, on clean land..a we'll
prepared, finely pulverized seed bed.
The seed is bright yellow in color, OF
the size and appearance of red clover
seed, and same weight per
bushel. Twen'y pounds Of seed should
be put on an acre. The seed is now
worth at the seed stores in ST.
Louis, as am informed, S12 to s15
per bushel OF sixty pounds. In the
spring OF 1879, eleven acres of bottom
land II Washington county, NJ sSouri.
were seeded to alfalfa s acres, Spounds
of seed par acre and acres, 10 pounds.
In the fall of 1877 the 8 acre piece was
turned under. and wheat sown. Dur
ing the season of 1913, the folio wing
crops have been taken off About the
10Th or June a wheat crop was cut on
the S-acre piece, and at intervals of &
weeks alter Gu ting wheat, two heavy
crops OF alfalfa hay were cut, and a
third crop could have been cut in DC.
ODER. The grass grew from the roots
OF the alfalfa turned under the fall be-
t re. On the third piece, first hay
crop was cut first week in May, The
the first week in June, and the
third the second week in July, and the
49, ohS III "CCh III AAuS uob, dIIu
the meadow pastured during October,
as IS the S-acre piece during November.
sOiting purposes, it could have
been cut as early as the 10Th of April,
and every two weeks thereafter up to
LIST september, and each three or four
weeks from that date to December l.
Horses. mules, sheep, cattle and hogs
all prefer 1t to other hay. OF course,
it sh )uld be cut up green when fed to
but they will eat it and fight cat
lie to get it when dry. When fed to
heavily worked mules in the spring,
neglect their grain for it.
The roots of alfalfa are of the class
as tap roots, and grow deep,
from 10 to 20 feet. 1t therefore pays
little or no attention to drOuth, and a
farmer having it is assured of a hay,
crop, whether he has IS asonable
aims or not. There is no question of
is standing our climate and hourlshing
II it. Its extensive planting and Gull
would add a new and most valua-
Die grass to our list of forage plants.
n. w. BLISS
Washington County, Mo.