Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-11
AGRICULTURAL.
MATTER PREPARED SPECIALLY FOE
TEE RECORD UNIoE."
Alfalfa and Fross-seed Corn-siIk Culture
at the horticultural Meeting
Bloat in Cattle.

There seems to be some difference of opin-
ion as to whether alfalfa will Withstand freez-
ing OF not. These differences arise from the
different times or stages of growth in which
observers havs noticed the subject-matter.
Some say SOW yous alfalfa seed in the fall.
and you will be most certain to obtain good
stand. Others say wait in the spring until
the freezing weather is past. Now, both
these instructions. under certain oireum-
stances, may be ia accordance with expert
ence and SUCCESS. The man who says sow In
the fall has probably had good success by
sowing his seed in the fall but he probably
was fortunate in the feet that the winter
following his sowing was warm one, II
which there was but little frost and
probably it did not occur till after his young
alfalfa plaHts had obtained considerable size
perhaps not til they had obtained three CT
four leaves. We have Lad winters in which
this might Laws occurred, but not of late
years. We lave seen winters here so warm
that the grass was green and growing all
winter, and VIXEN no frost of any account
was known. Ii we could be guaranteed such
a winter it would do to SOW alfalfa seed in
the fall, bat our owa experience and observa-
tion goes to prove that alfalfa plants, when
quite young, say from the first two leaves till
the plant Is frofn three to four inches high.
are almost IS tender as young corn. That
even slight frost, followed by bright and
warm mOrnI 6 sun, without fog or dew, will
K1li tho faprpF nl.nta 10 S1~alTT 90 -
young core CT tender potato-tops We have
sown alfalfa II January, during a warm,
damp spell, and seen tie plants come up and
grow vigorously till they had made the sur
lace look green, and then Change of weather,
and cold, dry, north winds setting 10, fol-
lowed or acc mp&nied by frosty nights, and
we HAYS seen those same plants disappear
gradually, till by the LIST of March the sur
face of the groutd appeared as naked as it
was betogs tho seed was sowu upon it,
and yet you could hardly tell when
the injury TO the young plants oc-
CURED, 50 gradual was their Disappearance.
The present winter has been peculiarly I'M
faVorao.e eae 50 young alfalfa sown in jan
uary and tia fore part Of February. We
had warm, damp weather during this period
OF time, and many were induced to SOW their
seed in hops5 TO have favorable time for it
to get good start. just about as the young
plants tfleB soWn were coming through the
surface. a change to cold freezing weather
took place, frsezing the surface many nights,
30 that a crust of ice formed from one-fOurth
to one-helf an inch thick The result is that
a large share Of the plants that have Just
come up Will never grow any more, but disap-
Fear and the stand will be aim jss ruined.
Inc only wy now TO secure good stands III
such cases IS 10 resOw and Teharrow or brush
the seed IN. If barley was sown with the
seed this may be done without injury to the
barley. OF course the narrowing should be
light, so as not TO tear up tie barley plants.
Ii brushed or boarded no damage can result
to the barley, but on the contrary, good will
result to is from the raking and cultivation it
will thus receive. Tbs proper and only ssfe
time to sow alfalfa seed is SO late in the
spring that the danger from killing by frosts
has pssssd for the sesson-say in general sea-
sons from the middle Of February to the Is.
of April. When alfalfa has attained age and
size there is but little danger of injury from
any freezing weather we ever had or are likely
to have in this State. We should qualify this
statement. however, little. When stock are
allowed to run On alfalfa during the time Its
stalks and leaves are frozen, as for instance,
early on frosty mornings, they will do great
damage, even TO old, wellses clover. Every
spear they touch ct such time will, as soon
as the sun strikes it, wilt, and in few days
will die. You can trace the tracks of stock
across the field by the dead tops of the al
fa!fa, and even after warm, growing weather
returns these paths may be traced up to the
time Of the first moving by discoloration |
Or the clover and less rapid growth.