The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-02
A GREAT WESTERN CROP.
Growing Alfalfa In Knnsas-Uscfus
Hin n For Many Sections.

ANIMALS. Alfalfa IL II best soil ell
richer. bringing up plant food to the
surface soil from greater depths than
any other crop plant grown In Kansas.
1t seems imperative, then. that every
Kansas farmer should grow alfalfa II
possible. yet W find but little Of 1t
grown In eastern Kansas.
Alfalfa will not grow on wet land
nor where rock comes near the surface.
1t Is easiest grown where Tie sllbsoil IL
rich ana porous, but good crops have
been harvested many years In success
sion on land underlaid with rs tough
aud hard subsoils as there are In the
state. \ successful alfalfa grower Of
wide experience said that any land
which will produce good corn regularly
and on which cottonwood trees do we'll
Is good alfalfa land. This is II fairly
safe guide.
In eastern Kansas. owing to muly
years OF cultivation and Il gOOl ram.
fall, the lnEI Is weedy. The us..Al e..-
perience IL as follows: (iiOun4 thor
oushly prepared in the spring. seed
Immediately put in. II good stand unl
rapid early growth: In September II
field with some alfalfa md u*prrfaet
stand OF %foXtail; next spring no alfalfa
or only half Il stand.
Az Il rule. we have found that the
successful nlfnl'n growers in eastern
| Kansas have started to prepare the
ground Il year before sowing til" seed.
| They plant the land intended for alfal.
IA 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 cun be taken off early Is put
In, and as soon as this crop is harvest
ed the ground Is Immediately ,plowed
and thoroughly narrowed. 1t Is then
narrowed or cultivated about once In
every ten days until the fall rains
come. The narrowing has a double
effect. 1t keeps a constant succession
Of weeds starting, only to be destroy
| ed, and 1t causes a rapid formation IN
the soil Of the nitrogen compounds es-
sential to the growth Of the young al
falfn 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 quantities by
measure of bran and alfalfa seed. drill
and crossdrill, sowing half the seed
each way. If the season Is favorable.
the growth OF the alfalfa will be good
through the fall, and a good hay crop
will be secured the following year. II
the ground does not get thoroughly
wet In the fall. do not SOW, but SOW
the following spring and after the al
falfa gets four to six inches high cut
every ten days or two weeks. whether
the weeds are bad or not, with a now
err set as high as possible.
A crop of soy beans raised for seed Is
better than n grain crop to raise just
before seeding to alfalfa. The beans II
planted early can be taken off In time
to sow the alfalfa. aud 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, fresh
ly plowed ground. The ground should
become settled after blowing and just
the surface made loose before planting.
Deep blowing and thorough narrowing
are needed. but the ground should set
tie before seeding. Alfalfa should not
be pastured for the first two years.
We have found many farmers who
have failed with alfalfa who have cut
1t for hay just rs they would clover
after the field had passed full bloom.
In some cases this alone is sufficient tn
ruin the crop. Alfalfa should be cut In
early 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 al
this stage. followed by a heavier sec
end crop and a good third crop. while
that left to be cut like clover vas not
ready much before the second cutting
Of the early cut and yielded no hay aft.
er the first cutting.-H. NJ. Cottrell.
Kansas Experiment Station.