Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-31
ALFALFA AND DAIRYING.

providing there be sufficient moisture. That
alfalfa will grow well on all the grain lands
of the State with irrigation has been album
dainty proven in several localities where the
lands have been irrigated. Near Woodland,
for instance, in Yolo county, where the soil
is generally pretty stiff clay or adobe and
among the best land in the State for wheat,
the heaviest crops of alfalfa are raised each
year by irrigation from Cache creek. SO in
other localities. Wherever there is no OBJ
stinate hard-pan near the surface to check the
growth of the long tap or main roots, by the
application of water the best results can be
obtained from growing alfalfa. Alfalfa makes
a good crop even IN the foothills as high up
as Colfax and Grass Valley, providing water
can be had and is used plentifullY for its irri-
cation. Alfalfa hourishes in heavy clay or
adobe soils or in the light, sandy soils and
sediment soih made by the washing down
OF the debris from the mines. Even alkali
soil will produce good crops of alfalfa
if the seed can once be made to sprout and
come above the surface. The alkali is an
injury OF an obstruction to the termination
of the seed, but does not seem to be a detri-
ment to the plant when once fairly grow
ing. The best time to sow alfalfa on alkali
soil is Immediately after heavy rain, when
the immediate surface has been washed and
the alkah leached out, but the seed must
not be dragged in deep-a half, or even
quarter inch deep, is sufficient on such soil
and under such circumstances. A coat OF
lime added to the surface, before or with the
alfalfa, will neutralize the alkali and facili-
tate the termination and growth of the very
young alfalfa Plant So will barnyard ma
nure have the same influence and produce IA
vorable results on alkaE soil. Though alfalfa
will do we'll in nearly all localities and on
nearly all soils in California, with irrigation,
ing that it can, in all places even with irri-
cation, be made profitable crop everywhere.
Alfalfa has its natural enemies, which, in
some localities, amount to an almost positive
prohibition to its cultivation. The gopher
likes the root of alfalfa about as well as
any other food he can find, and in places
where the gopher abounds it is almost impos-
slble to keep good stand of alfalfa. He
burrows in the ground, and works from one
main root to another, cutting them off just
below the surface, leaving the top to wilt and
die, and thus in little time the stand is So
thinned out that the production is reduced
below profitable standard. The best lands
in the State for the production of alfalfa are
the moist, loamy valleys and the rich al
luvial river bottoms. On these lands the
best crops and best quality of growth can be
attained without irrigation. If the tule lands
could be reclaimed so as TO prevent an annual
overflow, all these lands would become among
the best alfalfa lands in the State. A little
sediment spread over these river. bottom
lands does them no injury for alfalfa; on the
contrary, it seems to improve the mechanical
condition Of the soil and stimulate the growth
and improve the quality of the clover; but
the water that brings the sediment destroys
the growing alfalfa, and thus these best al
falfa lands have their enemy to the crop as
wen as JllC NE ilCi anu 4Coo l"'OA"piN ANA-NSs
When we speak of the overflow of water as
an enemy or injury to. the alfalfa, of course
it only applies to the largest and lowestrivers,
the overflow of the banks of which continues
for a considerable period. Alfalfa is not in
iured by short overflow, say of a week or
even two or three weeks, when the water is
cool and running The injury results from
standing water that goes off gradually and
becomes warm as. it becomes shallow. The
rivers subject to these long continued over
flows, that last till warm weather in the
spring, are the Sacramento and San Joaquin,
as they flow through the lower valleys.
These overfiows that last so long kill off all
the gophers, mice and squirrels, so that they
are not left to prey upon and destroy the al
falfa. On these river bottom lands irrigation
is not only not needed to make alfalfa produce
its best, but the best results are obtained in
dry seasons or seasons with but medium
trail California good alfalfa land will produce
four good crops of hay per year, averaging
one and half to two tons per acre at each
crop. While alfalfa is a good crop for
pasture, it will produce much more feed for
stock if cut and fed to them. Ne better feed
can be given to dairy cows than alfalfa
cut and fed just in the right condition.
This condition is from the time it will cut
good swathe until it commences to bloom.
When it goes into bloom it should be aban-
doned as green feed and should be cut for
hay We are convinced from actual expert
ence that on the best alfalfa land, with per-
feet stand one acre of land will maintain twos
dairy cows in good condition the year
through, by adding small feed of bran dur
ing the season that the alfalfa is fed in a dry
state. Thus forty acres will support dairy
of eighty cows. In the summer the cows
should be allowed to run in small Enclosure
and be fed from movable managers, and in
the winter they should be stabbed nights and
turned out into the Enclosure during good
weather in the day time. Ir some favorable
localities in the State cows thus kept have
been made to yield. in making cheese at nine
cents pound, thirty-two cents day the
year round. This would give sixty-four
cents an acre a day, or 1892 per acre
per aunum. reckoning 800 days to the year.
When milk can be sold-as where the dairy is
near the city-even greater results can &c at
tanned. 1t must be understood that we are
assuming the best of land and perfect stand
and good management Nothing can be lost
when the best results are to be obtained.
The land must be stimulated to its greatest
product and then the cows will give the
greatest profits. There is no better stimu-
liant for the land than that which the offal
from the cows will afford. The well.rotted
manure from the constable, used as top
dressing, can net well be improved upon as
fertilizer. This may be put on the ground in
the fan or early winter The rains will wash
and beat it into the soil and when the warm
days of spring come the new aifalfs sprouts
will grow almost an inch day.