Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1900-10-17
ALFALFA IN THE EAST.
A New Jersey Farmers Experience
and Conclusions.


and Conclusions.
Frequently In response to Inquiries
as to the growing of alfalfa you have
advised seeding In June. All farm
work, however, cannot be done at once,
and 1t Is therefore sometimes not con-
venient or possible to seed In that
month. 1t is also desirable at times to
seed after removal of early potatoes
or vegetables, to take advantage OF
the manure and fertilizer remaining In
the soil after the growing Of such
crops. To wait until the next year
would involve the loss of one years
cutting and the teaching out Of costly
fertiliZing elements, not to mention the
growing Of beautiful crop of weeds.
I~think the best time to seed Is when
the ground and weather arc right and
when one can find time to do 1t prop
erly before the end of the summer,
writes New Jersey farmer to Coun-
try Gentleman. Last year put In
three acres Of light. sandy ground,
the poorest that have, with II quarts,
or 20 pounds, of alfalfa per acre Aug.
%. 1t came up quickly and withstood
a very trying winter, as well as l ex-
pccted. Some exposed spots failed to
stand. Nor could l get a take" on
these places this spring in May owing
to hot and dry weather. June we cut
~ tons of sheep hay and expect to
get two more cuttings Of improved
quality this season. Better than walt,
ing until this June, is 1t not? | pup
this patch in alfalfa because ] could
not raise any other profitable crop
on It.
AS to the most suitable soil, our
gravel hills do the best. The roots
make wonderful growth, six to seven
feet In four years, and have known
them to go down eight or ten feet after
several years In favorable places. A
drought has absolutely no effect If the
plant is deeply rooted in the right soil
although veE hot July weather will
occasionally scorch the leaves and
check the growth, practically spelling
the second cutting.
Cut when the first bloom appears as
nearly as possible or the stems will be
woody and the leaves will fall off. The
right time here is about June 5. j
have not found it Us difficult to cure
as c. over. One needs to watch the
weather closely and cut and get it In
promptly as soon as 1t is fit In my
opinion there is no hay to equal 1t fol
general farm feeding provided it is
cut at the proper time, cured without
getting wet and put in promptly. My
father, William II. Grant, began ex'
perImenting with alfalfa about 1885
and we have since then never been
without II.
Concerning the way 1t affects the
soil, | would state that 1t appears to
benefit rather than impoverish the
land. 1t Is very difficult to break up
owing to the long taproots. Tending
the following crop is also difficult, but
the land seems to be decidedly benefit
ed. Last year and this year also ]
have been following small pieces OF
alfalfa with corn with the best results.
However, | would not advise doing
this except where II has run out or to
square up fields. Nor would advise
mixing q little alfalfa with other
grasses for year or two rotation.
It would outlast the others and WOULD
not be thick enough to leave alone.
Alfalfa is not Mt its best until the third
year.
A peculiar fact is that timothy will
grow about twice as fast in alfalfa as
It will among grasses following grain.
Last summer, after the third cutting
of a five acre field. put on little
timothy and narrowed it in to cover
some Of the places where the alfalfa
was getting thin, not expecting to make
another cutting. The weather being
favorable, | was obliged to cut fourth
time TO clear the ground. This year
the timothy was up to the top or the
alfalfa nj the first cutting, June 4.
have found no other grass suitable for
mixing with 1t.
II properly cured, 1t will retain its
green color no matter how long 1t has
been kept and is more attractive to
horses than any hay know Of. For
horse red clover cannot compare with
It. while 1t is equally good for COW or
sheep. The only objection | have to
alfalfa is that It makes the haying sea-
son extend over four months and has
to be taken care OF when 1t Is ready,
regardless Of other work.