The Dickinson press., 1885-02-21
Lucern or Alfalfa Culture.
DICKINSON, ID. T., Feb. IL. 1885


pose to try some experiments with |
lucern next season. Being familiar
with its culture in California and |
Oregon, where it is called alfalfa or
Chilli clover, a brief history of it's
culture may be Of interest to those
who wish to cultivate the plant. 1t
was introduced into England from
Switzerland many years ago. where
they still know it by its Swiss name.
From England it was taken to Chilli,
South America, and from the latter
country it was introduced into Cali |
fornia, where it has been successfully
cultivated on alluvial bottom lands
for several years. a peculiarity of
the plant, is its long root that starts
in the direction of water and will go
down through an alluvium 80 feet Oh
more until it reaches living water,
when the plant will thrive and grow
vigorously III the longest drouth and
hottest weather. 1t does fairly we'll
on the western slope Of the Sierra
Nevada mountains. where was told
by a gentleman who had q small piece
that the long roots would pass along
on the surface of the rock (below the
shallow soil that covered it) until it
came to a crevice. which the root
would take and follow to water. See
ing the remarkable growth of alfalfa
on the Feather river bottom, near
Marysville, Cal, in the dry summer
of 1871, wrote about it to the Evans
journal, stating my conviction that
it would thrive on the bottom lands
of Colorado. where it has since been
successfully cultivated. A hot clim-
ate and water that the roots can
reach are the principal essentials for
sucress with lucern and where these
unite, after the roots have had time
to go down to living water, the
growth of the plant is marvellous.
1t is fatteniny for all stock and hogs,
yet too relaxing for driving horses,
and work horses must be limited as to
quantity. Lucern has proved a sue
cess in Vermont and see no reason
why it may not stand our winters, yet
some knowledge of its culture is eS-
sential to success. and the little
have | cheerfully impart for the benc-
fit of our farmers. First, the plant
is exceedingly tender and easily
smothered, or killed by the lightest
| frost, when young, yet when the plant
is fairly started and has five OF more
| leaves to a plant it is safe from frost;
! ii weeds get the start most of the
/ plants will yet smother Ell and no one
need expect to succeed unless his
ground is we'll selected and lItteG.
Our upland valleys may prove tn he
good land for lucern, yet for trial
| would select bottom land where
there is no hard substance between
the surface and living water, that the
roots cannot penetrate. Then the
piece you wish to plant should be
thoroughly pulveriZed to depth of
| 10 or more inches. Have the surface
firm and smooth. When the June
rains begin it is time to SOW the seed.
If you have % pounds of good seed
| that you intend to cast upon two
acres, you will do far better and get
more of crop to put it on one acre.
or Ia at most. Then harrow thor
Oughly with a fine harrow and follow
with a roller. Thinly seeded lucern
makes no good crop and it is great
mistake to suppose that it will be.
come thicker, for when the thlnly
sown plants are once rooted it is use
less to SOW more seed for the old
plants grow the fastest and smother
the young ones. I he only remedy is
TO plow it up and begin over again
and you will find the blowing Il hard
lob as the roots are about u OF ali
inch thick and nearly rs tough as
buckskin and it takes a very SHARP
plowshare and powerful team to
break it. 1t should never be sowc'l
where it is not intended to remain
permanently. When a good thick
stand is obtained on a favorable spot
the growth in hot weather is almost
marvellous after the roots get down
to water, which may take two OF
more years, but then it should be cut
every 80 or 35 days in hot weather
and then mass of very juicy fodder
is obtained so heavy that it is hare
to get it we'll cured without putting
it in cocks and shaking it out to gel
the air and sun a couple of times, bu'
it pays for the trouble as it VIII fat
ten poor horse or COW that is KEEP
in the stable very fast, and will make
pork fat enough for the butcher
stall in short time. Twenty ponnd:
of seed per acre will make tau
stand if it all terminates and lives
When sowed thin it grows Il coarse
woody stalk, and when sowed thlrl
it gets woody if it is not cut young
In California it yields large amosin
of seed, but when Suwed to raise seet
fifteen pounds to the acre is enough
as when thin it branches heavily an(
many think it makes more seed, bu