The Red Cloud chief., 1900-02-02
! stand Of foxtail; next spring no alfalfa

I stand OF ~foxtail; next spring no alfalfa
or only half a stand.
AS a rule we have found that the
successful alfalfa growers In eastern
Kansas have started to prepare the
ground a year before sowing the seed.
They plant the land intended for al
falfa in corn or some other cultivated
crop. They cultivate thoroughly and
keep the land free from weeds. The
following spring oats, or some other
crop that can be taken of early, Is nut
In and as soon as this crop is bar-
vested the ground Is immediately
plowed and thoroughly narrowed. II
Is then narrowed or cultivated about
once in every ten days until the fall
rains come. This narrowing has a
double effect, 1t keeps a constant sue
cession OF weeds starting only to be
destroyed and 1t causes a rapid forma-
ton In the soil OF the nitrogen COM
pounds essential to the growth of the
young alfalfa plants. Late in August
or early In September, as early as the
ground has been well wet, the alfalfa
Is sown. 1t may be put in broadcast. /.
A better way is to mix equal quanti-
ties by measure OF bral and alfalfa
seed. drill and cross-drill, sowing half
the seed each way. IL the season Is
favorable the growth Of the alfalfa will
be good through the fall and a good
nay crop will be secured the following
year. IL the ground does not get thor
oughly wet in the fall, do not SOW, but
SOW the following spring, and after the
alfalfa gets four to six inches high cut
every ten days or two weeks, whether
the weeds are bad Or not, with a mower
set as high as possible.
A crop Of soy beans raised for seed
Is better than a grain crop to raise
just before seeding to alfalfa. The
beans IL planted early can be taken
on in time to SOW the alfalfa and the
alfalfa can be put in without blowing
the ground. Alfalfa does not want a
nurse crop. 1t does not want to be put
in loose, freshly plowed ground. The
ground should become settled after
blowing and just the surface made
o before planting. Time after
tim we have heard farmers report
at Farmers Institutes that they have
plowed their ground deep, narrowed 1t
thoroughly, Immediately sowed the al
falfa and 1t was a failure. Deep plow-
ing and thorough narrowing are need
ed, but the ground should settle before
seeding. Alfalfa should not be pas
tured for the first two years. We have
found many farmers who have failed
with alfalfa who have cut it for hay
just as they would clover-after the
field had passed full bloom. In some
cases this alone Is sufficient to ruin the
crop. Alfalfa should be cut in early
full bloom and 1t is better to make the
first cutting in the spring before two
thirds OF the plants come in bloom.
On the College farm in a dry season we
have seen the first crop cut when at ,
this stage, followed by a heavier sec
ond crop. and a good third crop, while
that left to be cut like clover was o
ready much before the second cutting
OF tn" oasly ont apd yielded no hay
after the second cutting. We have Sc
cured good yields from old alfalfa
fields having less than half a stand by
a sharp disc harrow well
weighted. and narrowing and cross
as deeply as the machine
would run. This must be done early
the spring. 1t will pay three-fourths
Of the farmers of eastern Kansas to
make a trial Of alfalfa on the lines in
dicated.. Five acres is sufficient for
the first trial; less is not practicable.
Follow suggestions and watch the
progress carefully. The results in
most cases will be satisfactory, and
where they are not a farmer with good
Judgment. with this close watching,
IAN develop notifications of these
methods that will succeed on his farm.
H. M. Cottrell, Kansas Experiment