Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-03-28
ALFALFA GROWING.
A Practical Farmer Gives His Views ON
the Raising OF the Great Forage Plant.
NAroMA. Feb. 4. 1895.

near, / am thinkinga few words giving
some of the later results OF my expert
ence may be Of use to some of yodr sub
scribers, the more so as our state secre'
tary's valuable report could not be gen.
orally obtained.
The past dry seasons have convinced
me that on fairly open soils, having
sheet water 10 to 20 feet below, we are
almost, II not quite, independent Of
rainfall after the second years growth
Of the alfalfa, and that without irriga'
ton, each plant being its own pump
having suction pipe from to 20 feet
long Last season | had three crops
cut. The first was three feet high,
saved for seed, but only reached ~
bushels per acre. The second crop cut
~ tons Of hay, and the third over half
ton; then had good of the feed for go
calves until after Christmas, though,
Of course, they had other feed with it..
made great mistake IN not saving
the second instead of first NOW for seed
The small piece on which / did this
am satisfied yielded at the rate of s to
10 bushels of seed per acre. Mr.. Geo.
Yoxall, of Stockton, writes me he got
40 bushels off Il acres besides wasting
bushel in threshing-and l know him
| H. al fnIfp % yol,
will fetch $72 per acre, besides hay
crops and feed This is, of course, ex-
ceptional, and can only be grown in a
dry season when the straw is not too
long; the flowers will not set well if
rain falls when blooming. | find the
straw after threshing this year is bet
ter than prairie hay i have now "A
acres-ail good stand. This land had
been cropped % years before and was
as full at possible OF foxtail, with some
sand burrs, etc, but the third years
crop has killed out all of these weeds.
Nothing else will live under it and
stand three mowings each year,
mean where the crop takes as well as
it does here.
AS to management l would say pillow
fairly deep in early fall. About April
18th harrow and roll, or use float; re-
peat it if land is not then very fine
seed bed. Sow 90 to 25 pounds per
acre after harrow; then harrow and
roll, or smooth; be sure and leave sur
face fine, smooth and fairly solid, as
many lost the stand last year from not
so doing, whilst all mine stood well.
If you can drill seed one to two inches
deep may use 5pounds seed less, but
remember, if you bury seed over three
inches only small portion will come,
and that weakly. Plant from Is to 20
of April, if possible, as it almost
always rains here within few days of
the 90. Moderate frosts will not injure
young plants. When the weeds get
to 8 inches high NOW; stack if enough
to pay. Repeat this again in July, and
feed in October and November Do
not expect good crop the second year
nor save it for seed Mine on the third
year produced bushels of seed per
acre and two other crops, clearing S22
per acre over expenses. After first
year cut first for hay the last week in
May, or when about half full of bloom
Rake same day, or early next morning;
stack in from one to four days, accord
ing to weatherj top up stack with
straw or hay, or wet will penetrate
The hay is none the worse for heating,
if it is not black in center, We always
tried to get little heat in England.
If not too rainy l would save second
cut for seed; cut when the bulk of the
pods are approaching black in color,
but some will be over-ripe and others
still green, 80 it requires judgment
There will generally be Rupther good
crop of hay by last of September. l
cut some last year the second week in
October. Try and rake seed either
when isJah cpt, or early next morning.
Do not stack it when il shells badly
Take care of the straw and keep it dry.
II no seed is grown, three crops of hay
and a pig after feed, or four of hay,
may be cut
] think alfalfa should never be fed
all spmmeF By SO doing it is surely
Ntiled out IN few years; il not, it will
= =" many years Mr., YoXall
improve IL. has h.an MOVED
has quantlty thaI '~ation
10 years, with no sign of deterlC4
Hogs must be rung If turned in first
year. All stock is very fond Of it, but
it will pay to haul to it either green or
as hay. Horses and hogs never hurt
on it green, but cattle are liable to
bloat, though with care mine did not
at all the first three years, but lost
one last fall from carelessness. Others
also bloated, always when it was grow
ing rapidly and was either damp or
frosted. cured several by giving
tablespoonful of baking soda in half