The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-09-06
PROFIT lN AlEALEA.
A Crop That WIN Yield Great Returns wi

.
Proper Cultivation
In favoring the cultivation of alfalfa,
in preference to clover under certain
conditions, Secretary Coburn, of the
state board of agriculture, has this to
say:
/ note by the consular reports from that
| country that the area in France devoted to al
falfa-growing in 1893 was 1.s245O4 acres. YIELD
ing 2,l22.l6s tons. valued at the magnificent to-
tai OF s5l, lsl.l53 Also. that the land devoted
| TO clover was 26s7.11s acres. yielding 1913 l56
tons, valued at e43, 055, IS. According to this
| showing their yield Of clover was but LA
pounds per acre. while that OF the alfalfa was
nearly 50 per cent. more, or s.;5s pounds: the
clover wGf valued by them at go Is per ton and
the alfalfa ut ga II, or about gper cent more.
| Putting it in another way their acre in clover
produces value of $16 81 and an acre in alfalfa
s2o09, or almost 90 per cent more than the
clover.
Again: An acre OF alfalfa yields them 50
per cent more hay than an acre in clover. its
! products issgorth 0 per cent or nearly e. per
| ton more, ton for ton, and nearly So or co per
cent more, acre for acre. In 1894 Kansas had
eo,s25 acres Of alfalfa, and this year has, &C
cordng to official returns very close to 125 900,
acres, which is an increase OF 80 per cent This,
together with the fact that five years ago there
were but 1884 acres, suggests that in the
half decade since their attention was first
sharply attracted to the value and adaptability
OF the plant the farmers Of Kansas have en-
parked in its culture with much energy, not
only on the lower lands where the underflow is
| within easy root-reach but on the higher
prairies as we'll While alfalfa gives sure
promise of being a boon to Kansas and con-
tiguous states, there are undoubtedly locali-
ties, soils and conditions to which il
is but poorly adapted. To be Peg
gnanad nf ifC nd INN
| not necessitate accepting. without quail
| fcation, the honestly-made, yet almost
incredible statements of yields and profits il
all the notable alfalfa growing sections. Dis
counted fully one-hah, they still indicate that.
under conditions such as pavail on millions OF
Kansas acres, alfalfa can and should early be-
come an important factor in the agricultural
economy and prosperity OF the state.
As authenticated instances are abundant OF
its roots penetrating the soil from 10 to IS feet
and in one instance more than 100 feet, 1t Is
readily apparent that when once established
| IL has great capacity for resisting the effects
of dry weather For this reason it is unusu-
ally well adapted 20 large sections OF the trans
Missouri region. We; at the same time il does
not flourish best unless the moisture condi-
tiOns are such that it develops "A strong root
hold the year Of its sowing.
Its being perennial that well rooted never
requires resceding: its rank in feeding quality
being right up alongside of, il not superior TO
clover OF the best of other hays. and its yield
ing from two to four and sometimes more cut
tings in a season. each equal TO those Of other
clOvers and grasses that afford but one. make
it wonderfully attractive crop. and TO none
more so than those who know it best
The foremost alfalfa county in Kansas is
Finney, with 1900 acres; next in order are
Butter. with 1897 acres; Mitchell. 1856; Cloud,
5,5l9, and Kearney, s,022 acres.