Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-11-17
Some Alfalfa Experience.

At the request of Secretary F. D.
Coburn, OF the Kansas Department Of
Agriculture, Mr.. H d. Watson, the
gentleman who raises $500 acres of
alfalfa in the Platte valley, at Kear-
ney, Buffalo county, south-central Ne
braska, gives some Of his more recent
experiences with this plant, printed
in the March Quarterly Report OF the
Kansas Board, entitled Forage and
Folders
Mr.. Watson writes, in part, as fol-
lows:
The field sowed to blue grass and
alfalfa in 1884 shows no signs OF de-
cay. This field has not been fertilized
since seeded. nor disked. as some rec
0mmend. The sod formed by the
blue grass sown with the alfalfa pre- |
vents much evaporation Of the usual |
moisture, and the blue grass adds
much to the excellence and variety OF |
the pasturage, and obviates all danger
of bloat, no animal (sheep or cow
having bloated when pastured in this
field. My experience, however, teaches
me to advise against pasturing sheep
on alfalfa.
The most satisfactory animal to pas
ture on alfalfa is the hog. To secure
the best results and the largest profits
feed the hog, while pastured, enough
of the fesh-forming grains to pro-
duce rapid growth, and the spring pig
may be marketed III the fall at from
200 to 300 pounds weight. If the hog
be fed grain during the summer
months less time will be required to
mature and fatten him. Alfalfa hay
should be fed to the hog while fatten-
ing. He likes it, and will leave his
corn for the hay.
My field OF blue grass and alfalfa is
cut three times each year when not
pastured; the first and second cuttings
for hay The third cutting is saved
for seed. The second cutting should
be cut not later than July 10. have
never seen a good seed crop obtained
from the first cutting. When the first
cutting is saved for seed but little hay
is secured from the later cuttings.
There is a very material difference
in the tonnage yield from an equal
area OF valley and hill land. in favor
Of the valley land. At best, but one
crop Of hay and one crop OF seed can
be had from the hill land year. The
texture of the hill land is improved by
the deep penetration Of the alfalfa
roots; they subsoil the land. form a
storage reservoir of water, and add
much nitrogen to the soil. 1 shall try
blue grass with alfalfa on the hills
this year.
Wherever there is sufficient mois-
ture to terminate both, would advise
sowing alfalfa and blue grass together,
as a larger yield and better quality
OF hay are obtained than from alfalfa
alone. When soWn together 1 use 15
pounds OF alfalfa and five pounds Of
blue grass seed to the acre; of alfalfa
alone, twenty pounds an acre is used,
sowing ten pounds each way of the
field; this insures a uniform stand.
Let me urge the great importance of
the most thorough preparation Of the
soil for seeding. The soil should be
made as fine as if for garden. All
moisture should be conserved, and the
land seeded the day it is prepared. In
this vicinity experience has proved
that fall blowing gives the best result;
in other sections this may not be true,
and each farmer should adopt the plan
suited to his locality.
no longer use a nurse crop in seed
ing alfalfa. When the weeds shade
the ground they are moved, and are
left where they fall Where the land
is very foul the weeds are moved
three times a year, and no hay is
saved the first year; but on clean land
ne
taken from the second cutting the
year Of seeding.
Each. succeeding year emphasizes
the necessity of saving the leaves Of
this plant. 1t is stated that IS per
cent of the digestible protein is in the
leaves. The younger the plant Is when
cut the more tenaciously the leaves
adhere to the stem. After it has wilt
ed, the sooner it is raked into wind
rows and cooked the larger the per-
centage of leaves that will remain on
the stem. 1 cut it when coming into
bloom, in the morning, as soon as the
dew is of; and. as soon as wilted,
rake it into WindrOwS and cock ii, al
lowing the hay to cure in the cocks.
Stacking in the field has not been
satisfactory to me. In this region pre-
cipitation is so heavy that consider
able percentage Of the hay is damaged
in the stacks, particularly that of the
first cutting, as this hay, like red Glow
er, is too coarse to prevent the rain
from soaking the stack. This does not
apply to the more arid regions farther
west, where, from the commercial
standpoint, it is more economical to
stack in the field; but in this section,
where the rainfall is so great, only as
much alfalfa should be grown as the
owner can provide suitable covering
for, whether it be shed roofing in the
field or NOW room in the barn.