Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-07-02
AlfaIfa-erowing in Kansas.
CLARK COUNTY

! CLARK COUNTY.
c. D. PERRY, Englewood under ir-
rigation) Three years experience in
growing alfalfa. Have now, on bot
tom land, three hundred and fifty
acres. I would recommend spring
sowing, from March 10 to April Is;
the last week in March is preferable.
1 pillow and thoroughly pulverize the
ground, drill the seed with a press
drill, eight pounds per acre, both
ways of the land. Have had good
success on sod land, broken three
inches deep, well narrowed. Seed
sown broadcast, averaging 20 pounds
per acre, well narrowed in and rolled.
The fall seeding winter-kills. The
value of crop for pasture or hay, the
first year, depends upon the amount
of moisture. I cut the crop from
three to four tunes, getting from one
to two tons at each cutting. L con-
slider it the best hay grown. I feed
all that 1 raise. The third cutting
is best for seed; worth now $3.50 per
bushel. One acre of alfalfa, if not
cut, will pasture 10 hogs, young and
old, for nine months. I would not
recommend sowing alfalfa on upland
clay subsoil, in central or western
Kansas.
CLOUD COUNTY.
j. E. FITseERALD, Jamestown
Have grown alfalfa for five years.
Have now on stony upland 12O acres.
I SOW the seed in early spring. L
pillow the ground deep; SOW from three
pecks to bushel of oats to the acre,
harrow once, then SOW twelve and
one-half pounds af alfalfa seed per
acre, shorten the harrow-teeth and
harrow twice and roll once after
wards. The crop will stand light pas
turing the first season. The crop
will bear cutting twice during the Sec
ond year and three times the third,
making a good full pasture both years.
Until this winter there has been no
demand for alfalfa hay, as farmers
have not become aqualnted with It's
merits as hay. 1 think one ton of al
falfa is worth as much as three tons
of prairie hay. 1 cut first crop for hay
during the first week in June, second
crop the last week in August. The
crop of third cutting depends upon
the rainfall during the season. I on
ly cut twenty-five acres for hay last
year and from the three cuttings L
got one hundred and twenty-seven
tons. The second cutting was thresh-
ed, from which got eighty bushels
of seed. The straw after being
threshed is much better than the best
prairie hay. The value of the total
product of alfalfa hay and seed per
acre is $50 an average year. Any
kind of land on which water will not
stand will produce alfalfa. 1 expect
to SOW an additional sixty acres this
year.
When COWS are fed alfalfa hay they
give about as much milk as they do
on grass in the best months. The
butter is just as good as butter made
from grass feed. Sheep can be fat
tened on alfalfa hay; and cattle will
keep in fine condition without being
fed any grain. 1t makes very good
winter feed for farm horses. would
not consider it a good spring hay, as
the horses are soft when fed alfalfa.
1t is fine feed for hogs, either green
or in hay, and no other crop is raised
with as little trouble. Pasturing do
es not seem to hurt 1t after it is three
years old. It makes good pasture by
April LIST, and as late some years as
Christmas. When farmers have
learned the value of alfalfa, I predict
that Kansas will be the greatest cat
tie State in America.
DICKINSON COUNTY.
z. w. COLEMAN, Navaree.- Have
had three years experience in grow
ing alfalfa, and have now nine acres
on upland. SOW the seed during
the first ten days in May. In pre-
pairing the ground, I pillow and har-
row thoroughly. For seeding I use
the press drill and sow about 10 ID
seed to the acre. Do not consider
the crop of valve for pasture or hay
the first year. I have pastured my
fields exclusively. I would reco-
mmenend sowing alfalfa on well
drained land.
ITO be Continued)
pronounced Hopeless Yetsaved.