The Alamogordo news. (Alamogordo, N.M.) 1899-1912, 1900-04-26
THE SOUTHWEST IT'S HOME.
Supports One Man to the Acre In
Considering Largely Pop
ulated Sections.
ALFALFA CULTIVATION INCREASES.
King of the Glover Family and an Inval-
liable Crop For the Stock Farm
An Ideal Rough Feed and
MarvelOusly Productive,

Throughout the stock raising west
the cultivation of alfalfa Is Increasing
at wonderful rate 1t is the king of
the clover family, and an invaluable
crop for the stock farm, being almost
an ideal rough feed, and marvelousy
productive. Its merit has long been
recognized, and the acreage in the
west is being constantly increased. The
Southwest is the home Of the plant,
and it here reaches its heaviest yield
and most thrifty growth. The day
that sees $1,000 acres of alfalfa growing
in any section will see "a prosperous
population Of at least $4,000 people.
The Denver Field and Farm sets
forth some of the plants advantages in
the folling article, and IN reading 1t
should be remembered that what is true
about it in Colorado is doubly so here,
its native home. The yield is larger
here and the prices a great deal higher
and the latter will be maintained for
years to come.
alfalfa has demonstrated most fully
the past year its capablity to be crown
ed king of all forage crops. 1t is often
said that corn is king, but when COM
pared with alfalfa it must t1ke a back
seat. For instance, let MS ,ompare the
two in point Of profit: Suppose fla rm-
er grows fifty bushels Of corn to an
acre, and allowing 30 cents bushel,
which is too high for the average, he
will receive Sl0 as gross returns there
from. Taking the cost of plowing,
narrowing, seed, planting, and at least
three civilizations, and the net profit
will not be more than S. an acre. The
following year the same process must
be gone over, together with fertilizlng
to keep up the maximum crop. Now
for alfalfa:
1.-The ground must be prepared the
same as for corn, and the planting done
much the-s as for a wheat crop.
Then there is no more labor to be ex-
pended upon it In this county, ' nerro
we do not have such weedy land, until
September when ton of hay can be
cut, ordinarily worth SIS. The following
year a disc harrow may be run over
the meadow and then thr2e cuttings of
hay can be taken during the season,
which should average foar and one-half
tons, worth S22 so. Farmers who under
stand their business have been putting
the hay in stack for 80 cents ton, leav-
ing net profit of $3.50 all acre. The
field can be cut indefinitely II SO desired
with II heavier crop each year, and IN
stead of the land becoming depleted it
grows richer continuously, for alfalfa
assimulates nitrogen from the air and
holds it in the soil through its root nn.
dulles. lfthls crop is fed on the farm
us it should be, the profit is doubled,
"The greatest element of alfalfa is
protein, and when a small portion of
bran, peas, soy beans or corn is added
we have the most completely balanced
ration for all kinds Of stock. This is the
secret of success in lamb feeding, and
is the reason that Colorado fed lambs
top all markets on which they are pac-
ed, Our dairy cows and horses know
little other forage than alfalfa. Hogs
run in alfalfa fields all summer. aud are
given thirty days on grain and are ready
for the market. In the winter time
stocks live on alfalfa hay alone. Many
| farmers who have been growing wheat
will this year seed their land to alfalfa.
I hus exchanging IA problematical crop to
one OF sure profit In the Arkansas
valley one firm received an order for
| forty-fve car loads of baed alfalfa a
week from December 1 to April /, but
could not Gil 1t. for there was no snch
surplus after providing Tor the feeding
operations going on In that section
| Hence large acreage will this year be
planted to supply the outside markets.
"WeshaVe been much amused at the
opinions OF some eastern cxperimenters
with this great forage crop Theyseem
to strain at camel 20 swallow gnat
They argue that their soil is not Just
right or the summers too dry or the win
ters too cold, etc. We Of Colorado have
every variety of soil and altitude. and IL
alfalfa seed should be planted in any
place in the state except perhaps on the
high mountain peaks, we should have a
crop. One man who lives at an eleva-
tion OF 1000 feet at the foot OF high
mountain, with stony but rich soil,
recently purchased IN Denver ear load
OF alfalfa seed, which he will put in on
ground plowed last fall. lie has been
growing alfalfa there for fifteen years.
aud Is not afraid OF II. We are satisfied
to let the valley states grow corn, while
we pin our faith to the great lcgumer
Fine stationery at Rhomherg's, 7. q.
block.