The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1895-01-04
PROFITSaoN ALFALFA.

course a httie fCal1g Ike that isn't
likely to change'aN votes.
PRoFITss& ALFALFA
The following article, penned by r.
E. Edwards of this city, appeared in
the Tribune Kan.,) Homestead:
II began nine years ago to grow
alfalfa, Oh three acres, and now have
about 800 acres. The soil is sandy
loan, "bOttom" and ''second-bottom"
land, with very little difference i'll the
soil and subsoil. with occasional ''gum-
to'' spots. Well water is found at a
depth Of from 6 to IA feet, and the
soil to that depth is reasonably moist.
except in unusual dry times. l have
found it very peculiar crop, having
made a failure with very careful pre-
parati0n of land, and sometimes a
grand success with poor preparation.
A wet season insures success here, and
the time of year for sowing makes lit
tie difference. During the first season
if the weeds grow, NOW them, and,
if the season Is favorable, get from
one half to one ton of hay 10 the acre.
In sowing seed, use from Is to 20
pounds of seed to. the acre. The hay
is cut when the plant is nicely in BIOS
som, usually three time Il year, and
the yield has averaged about four
tons per acre .per year. Before
cutting for seed the seed bolis should
be brown and ripe, and / consider the
second cutting the lest for this pur
pose. l cut with self rake, and stack
without other handling, (pever raklng
and use great care in stacking to avoid
the loss of seed) after it has cured from
six to eight days. The better the
stacking the better the hay; but have
never had any Sc bad that the stock
The Stack for alfalfa is about tie same
as for other clover. My crop Of seed
last year averaged about six bushels
to tie acre, and the threshilg and
cleaning cost from 80 cents to 81 1t
bushel. The common thresher, with q
huller attachment, will do for alfalfa,
but Il clover h'll!er is better. The
average price Of hay per ton has been $5
and seed has been sold from S5
10 81 per bushel Of 60 pounds. In
feeding farm animals alfalfa hay IS
better than clover for all purposes, and
is better than timothy for many uses
though l prefer timothy for horses.
AS pasturage for swine, it is worth
more than clover; for cattle it is far
better than red clover; as Il pasture
crop for horses and sheep, it is profit
able in the fall, ard fine for stock at
any time; but III the s.ring and sum-
mer, pasturing injures the crop. Cat
tie and other animals bloat danger
Ously on rank alfalfa especially i'll the
the spring and after frost. If ailing
animals are discovered, puncture
with the knife, and let the gas escape.
Alfalfa ripened aud threshed for seed
differs but little from that cut earlier
for hay alone, and cattle eat. nearly
all Of it under any conditions, and
thrive. The plant requires from two
to four years to attain it's best yealds;
my Oldest stand is as good as L have.
Wherever alfalfa will grow it is prof
ltable crop. have not realized the
extrayagant profits reported by many
| other parties, but have saved seed for
the two years past at a net profit
above all cost and labor, of S25 per
acre each year. For men who under
stand handling cattle in this connec-
ton with this crop, SO per acre would
| be a safe estimate for the yearly net
profit for term of. years. l do not
irrigate. Would have doubts Of sue
cess on the high prairies.'