The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-06-08

Alfalfa has been cultivated since the early
dawn of civilization. Ii was grown by the
Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans, and
by the latter spread over large part OF Europe.
The Spanish Monks, when they came to give
the Mexicans benevolent assimilation,
brought Alfalfa with them and around those
old adobe missions which they established over
800 years ago it can be found growing today.
About 1866 to 1860 it was carried up the south
west coast to California and from that place
it is rapidly spreading TO the Middle Western
States. Ii is now making the arid regions OF
Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado blossom like
rose. 1t enables the farmers of the above
States TO market the Grade Whiteface, the
Angus and the Short horn steer in "a months
in symmetrical 1900 Founders by feeding a
balanced ration of Is to 20 lbs. of Alfalfa hay
and 40 to SO lbs. of corn Silage; the entire
ration being produced upon their farms. Al
falfa is the chief of the leguminous plants and
is greatest of them all as soil improver.
l have had seven seasons experience with
ten acres of Alfalfa as a source of protein for
our dairy herd of Jersey and grade Jerseys,
during which time we have had in our valley
three of the dfyest summers known in many
years aud during these hot dry times III form
er years the dairyman would be at his wits
ends to keep the herd to its flow of milk
Cows fighting flies, with intense heat and every
thing in the grass line burnt up, except those
ten acres of Alfalfa, whose long tap-roots was
reaching down ten to thirty feet to subterrean-
can moisture and bringing TO the surface and
giving our herd green and succulent ration
rich in protein as only the king Of the lsgum-
inous family could do. So firm is my faith
that Alfalfa is one of natures choicest gift to
the dairy herd that we are building up and
preparing hundred acres of our best land
which we will lay down in Alfalfa.
The most desirable soil for Alfalfa is the
bottom lands of the Gunpowder valley lands.
Lands that will grow 10 to Is bbls. OF corn to
the acre will produce when once established
to 6 tons to the acre aud give cuttings. 1t
yields Its greatest crops on a soil formed from
decomposed limestone The preparation OF
soil for field of this valuable plant requires
two or three years. Energy and expense you
should not spare, as it outlines work for your
lifetime aud your children that come after
you. 1t will prove your savings bank and in
few years you can draw upon it for the re-
malnder of your life, and then leave it unhurt
to those that come after you.
In preparing my field | select clover land
that intend to plant to Ensilage corn. As
soon as | have cut the clover for the last time
l commence at once to cover it with manure.
This work | do during the fall and winter,
and early in April | plow the land about =
inches deep, as do not wish to get the ma.
nure too deep. | put the field in order and
in season plant my crop. Early in October
when the corn has been taken off | harrow
the field and put ii in good order and SOW i
bushels of rye and Hairy Vetch with 300 lbs.
phosphate rich in phosphorie acid and potash.
The rye will make rank growth when sown
early and will come early in the spring.
bout the first tn tenth of Anril | turn our
daily herd on and Craze until about the 10th
TO 18th of May. Then pillow the rye down
as deep as | can send it with an Oliver chilled
plow, and if there is any hard pans iii the field
| run a bull-tongue right behind the plow, as
these hard pans must be subsoiled. If you
have a subsoil plow it is much better than a
bull tongue Put your field in order; level up
all old dead burrows. Sow on this one and
ahalf bushels of COW peas and roll them so
that you will have the field in good shape to
harvest the peas. Your field is now in pea