Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-23
ALFALFA CLOVER.

To the Editor OF the Eagle
Having been asked by number of
farmers what thought of alfalfa and
how it had done for me, will answer
these questions through your paper.
for there may be other persons wish
ing to SOW some kind of tame grasses
in the spring for the sooner we can get
part of our farms seeded down to
grasses to suit our soil aud climate, to
get early grazing in the spring and
later in the fall, the better we will be
of. would say that believe alfalfa
TO be one of the best tame grasses in
this valley. When farmers get To
know the value of this species of Glow
err il will be more generally cultivated
lhave heard persons say, and but late
ly, that if we once get itsiarted on our
farms we never could get it out of the
land. For my part | do not want il
out. 1t is just what am trying to
get my farm covered with. 1t comes
very early in the spring for pasture,
being earlier than timothy or orchard
grass, and about the same or earlier
than red clover.
The cattle and hogs are fond of it.
cropping il close to the ground, and
in my pasture last spring my cattle
would Craze on the alfalfa and leave
the orchard grass, both being in tn,
same felt. If it is not pastured it vii
be from TWO 10 three feet high III Man
and can be cut ter hay. Ii ,houid b
cut before it is too large, aud is out in
bloom, il makes The b ST of hay 10,
cattle and horses. have often bern
a>ke1 the question during the sum-
mer by persons looking at il in my
barn. What is that? Will The stock
eat it: Ii lorks like weeds Gu ami
put up for feed, and one very promi-
nent stock breeder from Missouri OF
arge experience really thought it was
a species of rag weed growing in this
valley.
| have tested the slfalfs hay thor
oughly this winter and find nv stock
very fond of it and do well and have
other good hay TO get at the alfalfa.
They seem to relish it and look
very fine, eat it up clean,
and yet mine is very coarse hay
| am going to sow more of it in the
spring and make it my staple hay
crop in plsce ofprairie hay. The time
to cut is the first crop in May, when
just coming out in bloom, and can be
cut again when large enough, will
make if on good land four tons to the
acre and will make fine pasture if left
then until fall, keeping green until
near the holidays, while other grasses
are killed by the frost. In curing for
hay il should not be left on the ground
until il beaches bat should be raked
up and hauled in midling green; if
left on The ground too long The leaves
drop off and spoil the quality of the
hay, and il seems 10 cure after being
put in the barn or shed. | would not
advise the stacking of Alfalfa hay I'M
less il is covered with something else
to keep The wet out for it takes water
very readily aud will rot.
The time TO sow.-Preparc your
ground as early in the spring as posi-
bic, and when the spring rains come
do not SOW until them, about the fine
you plant corn, so as to bc certain To
be OUT of the way of frost, harrow
your ground smooth, SOW one-fourth
bushei per acre mot less than that,
rather more) and harrow over with "a
light harrow. Do not SOW any other
crop with it and keep stock off for the
first year, and if the season is favora-
bic you will have as fine stand of Al /
falfa clover as you could wish for.
G. S. EICHHoLTz
Wichita Kas