The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-09

Capt. John c. Webb, of Demopolis, has given it full and fair trial, and the result of his experiences certainly goes to prove that it Is the grass to grow for hay, as an all-round, continu- Ous crop In the picture accompanying this article the hay is being cut and taken out of the field, and Captain Webb himself is in the centre of the field over looking the work He is enthusiastic about It and thinks there is not a farmer in Alabama who should not have field of 1t. It does not spread and requires no cultivation scarcely after once it has been planted Captain Webb says: T am glad you will write up alfalfa. There Is nothing farmer can plant that will do him as much good and make him as much money with as little work. I have been planting 1t with great profit since 1871. l have now more than 200 acres In 1t. I have cut it every month in the year mot, however, in the same year. You can plant it in February and cut it four times the same year, and cut It six or seven times any year after the first, and 1t produces from one to two and a half tons each cutting. l find that our prairie lands suit 1t best but it will do well on red lands that are dry. It will not grow on wet lands. Drain the land well and make 1t rich and you have a crop that is always a profit. I have had 1t sew enteen years old and 1t was as good when l plowed it up as 1t was at any time dur ing the seventeen years. It will stand twenty-five years without reseeding and can be killed at one blowing. No other grass will run 1t cut except bermuda, which will gradually encroach on 1t until it is luined-that grass caused me to plough up the alfalfa l had for seven- teen years. There is an enemy to it in the way of a parasite-dadder. or love vine, which will kill 1t effectually in two years. Parties buying seed should be sure there is none of this ladder seed in it, as that is the only way that 1t gets a start on 1t You can cut from field of alfalfa from two to three crops and then when the sun is hot Johnson grass will spring up and you will have a double crop of Johnson grass and al- falfa at one time. l am rather lengthy on the subject of alfalfa, but I do not thlnk I can say too much for it. be- Eve q crop can be made by teams that have had nothing else to eat."
 in reply to an Inquiry in regard to alfalfa raising. Prof. j. +. Duggdr. Pro lessor of Agriculture at the Az iculturai and Mechanical College at Auburn. says: "The conditions for growing alfalfa are very unsatisfactory on the Station farm on account of the presence of a fungus disease. l regard it as one of the most promising of forage plants, for rich, State. It is especially valuable on soils rich in lime, as In the canebrake region The principal necessity there Is to insure thorough drainage.
 coils in Alabama inoculation should be nr9cticed for alfalfa, though the appl- r,tion of large quantities of nitrogeneous Ssrtilizers will make this unnecessary. 41sio.iiation material for alfalfa is the coil for an old alfalfa patch or from a field where it's near relative, burr clo- yer has been grown.
 Speaking of the growing of grasses for hsv th. following appears in bulletin issued from the Agricultural Experiment