Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-05-01
AGRICULTURAL EMPORIUM,
Oyo,opsdia of Useful stuli,s Fer the
Farm and Homo,
Intelligent Chapter on Alfalfa-salrs valuo
For Cows--Barb Wire Cuts Valuable
Hints For the Homo, and Useful Recipo,
For the Household
Alfalfa.

Alfalfa,
Having recently received n number
OF letters and inquiries in regard to
alfalfa, | am now going to answer
some OF the numerous questions asked
me, writes Garden City, Kan,
correspondent OF the Practical Farmer.
How much seed does alfalfa make
per acrep How much can you sell the
seed for per bushelP Is alfalfa good
feed for hogsp Is II n good boo plautP
Well, In answer 10 these questions or
queries ! have TO say; Alfalfa makes
from Two to Ten bushels por acre,
which Is worth "a per bushel and
makes tho farmer from $40 to $40 per
acre for seed crop. aud we cut 1t three
times year, once for seel and twice
for hay. IL makes from three To six
tons OF good hay per acre, which is
worth in Garden City 81 TO s. per ton,
can be handled as chotply rs any other
kind Of hay. For hog feed alfalfa can
not be beaten. Hogs never die OF
cholera that are fed on alfalfa they
will fatten on 1t in spring and summer
and keep In good condition In winter
on the hay. Alfalfa for winter feeding
TO hogs should be cut before II blooms
| aud put up In good condition, know
OF u number OF hogs In Finney county
that have never seen an car OF corn,
aud they now look rs well rs any stock
hogs l ever owned In tho east, when
we fed them on corn tho year around.
Bees would certainly do we'll In II field
| OF alfalfa, rs there is u very heavy
bloom and IL is worry fragrant aud rich
ly honey laden, aud blooms from May
| 10 November |. Alfalfa, like tho
orange tree, blooms continuously II
allowed 10 grow without cutting, there
being ripe seed, green aud bloom on
the same stalk, and all stimuli
tanoously. We fatten groat
number OF steers in this country
during tho winter on alfalfa
hay and sell them direct 10 the butch
ers and shippers ut good prices, they
preIerring alfalfa TO corn-led cattle
tho meat being much more juicy and
sweet In regard to alfalfa as II milk
producer, | would say that it will pro.
| duce better ilow OF milk than any feed
| that can DO given TO COWS. have
tried chopped feed, timothy and clover,
but alfalfa eXcelS thom all. When do
you SOW alalfaP There Is quite u
| difference Of opinlol on that question
| but, would say, SOW IL any timo from
| March to September /; quito mum
Dor Of our farmers have sown II Sep
TENDER | with good results. Thor
| oughly prepare your soil, and pun your
seed In tho ground and not on top, and
| j will insure and guarantee you sue
coss, seed but 2 inches In the ground
will make inches Of root before tho
top comes up, which insuros 1t against
drouth. May 10 Of 1889, sowcd
twenty acres OF alfalfa which was Mt
that time covered with II growth Of
oats. II inches high. ! used press
| drill with corn planter runners, sowing
20 pounds per acre. Wccut OIL n good
crop Of oats, and when ! was last on
the farm lust September the alfalfa was
10 inches high and looking we'll. Can
alfalfa DO plowed up? Yes, il you
have three extra good horses and u
good sharp pillow. The roots are long
and thick, and they grow from 6 10 =
feet ana are Us large rs fork handle
ut or near the top OF tho ground. AL
falia does not freeze out as red clover
does In the cast. There was 100000
worth OF alfalfa seed grown in Finney
| county last wear