The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-09-20

a New Jersey Farmers Experience
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 a beautiful crop of weeds.
| think the best time to seed Is when
the ground and weather are right and
when one can find time to do 1t prop
erly before the end of the summer,
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 wthstood
a very trying winter, as we'll as | ex-
pected. Some exposed spots failed to
stand. Nor could | get a take" on
these places this spring In May owing
to hot and dry weather. June we cut
IA tons of sheep hay and expect to
get two more cuttings of improved
quality this season. Better than wait
ing until this June. Is 1t not? put
this patch In alfalfa because | could
not raise any other profitable crop
on 1t.
AS to the most suitable soil, our
gravel hills do the best The roots
make a wonderful growth. six to seven
feet in four years. and l 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 very hot July weather will
occasionally scarch the leaves and
check the growth. practically spelling
the second cutting.
Cut when the first bloom appears as
nearly DIS possible or the stems will be
woody and the leaves will fall off. The
right time here Is about June 5. |
have not found it as difficult to cure
as clover. One needs to watch the
weather closely and cut and get 1t In
promptly as soon as 1t is fit. In my
opinion there is no hay TO equal it for
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-
perlmentlng with alfalfa about 1885,
and we have since then never been
without 1t.
Concerning the way 1t affects the
soil. would state that it appears to
benefit rather than impoverish the
land. 1t is very difficult to break up
owing to the long tapreots. 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 it has run out or to
square up fields. Nor would | advise
mixing a little alfalfa with other
grasses for Il year or two rotation.
1t would outlast the others and would
not be thick enough to leave alone.
Alfalfa is not at it's best until the third
year,
A peculiar fact Is that timothy will
grow about twice as fast in alfalfa as
1t will among grasses following grain.
Last summer. after the third cutting
of a five acre field. | put on a little
timothy aud narrowed ii 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 of the
alfalfa at the first cutting. June 1. |
have found no other grass suitable for
mixing with it.
If properly cured, 1t will retain its
green color no matter how long it has
been kept and Is more attractive to
horses than any hay | know of, For n
horse red clover cannot compare with
1t, while it is equally good for cow or
sheep. The only objection | have to
alfalfa is that it makes the hayng sea
son extend over four months and has
to be taken care Of when it Is ready.
regardless of other work.