Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-03-06
INSTRUCTIVE LETTER On AL
FALfA CULTURE
Written by a Practical Farmer.


To TIE MISSOURI VALLEY TINES -
Frequent inquiries come to me, from
local residents, regarding the growth
and culture of Alfalfa in this county.
AS l have made a complete success
in growing it from my first attempt
soma seven years ago, and have talked
Alfalfa at every opportunity and ex-
pect to continue the talk until half the
land in Harrison county is sown to 1T
if live that long, ask space in your
paper to tell briefly as possible how /
grow it.
i sow in Spring about oats sowing
time, on thoroughly prepared soil The
soil should be worked down to fine
filth, as fine as u garden, aud the seed
sown immediately so the natural mois-
Il re in the soilw lgermnate tilo mp
ls: i'll other words, never SOW at q time
When rain will be needed TO bring il
mp. Sow broad cast. IAN ordinary end
gaze seeder will do) and harrow ii in
or nse the press drill hut put very lit
tie pressure on the shoes
The question of nurse crop is a
perplexlng cne:: if one has the nerve
to pasture off, or NOW for hay, a crop
of early oats or bar'ey which promises
a fifty bnshel yield, q nurse crop is not
a serious injury. Bat this nurse crop
must be off of the ground by June ooh
or 25th, sooner ii it shows signs of
lodging; in no case permit it to ripen.
Now, about August 18th. nice crop
of hay should be cut, and again about
October lst.
If by drouth or thin soil there is no
Alfalfa crop for August cutting. Nov
the foxtail will be there.
If Alfalfa is sown without nurse
crop, (I prefer to SOW it that way,) it
should be cut June lOth to 18th, and
again July Goth and October LIST.
These three cuttings should yield 2is
to 3 tons to the season.
While the above Instructions are
general and will do in the main, there
may be aud probably is ground where
the foxtail and other grasses will out
grow the Alfalfa This must not be
permitted Cut it whenever the other
grasses begin to shade it.
Use twenty pound of seed per acre,
twenty five is better. After the first
year it should be cut four times, June
lst, July 5th, August 10th and Oct. It,,
and will yield from six to eight tons
per acre, depending somewhat on the
season, but great deal more on the
fertility and condition of the soil.
Alfalfa has higher feeding value
than red clover, one third higher, and
will, without grain, maintain an ami
NAL in thrifty condition through the
year An acre of good Alfalfa will
produce $50 pounds of dry matter dali
y an amount sufficient to pasture four
head of cattle.
had one field of five acres which
produced four tons of hay and five
bushel of seed per acre the past season.
The hay would readily sell for So 90
per ton or 1872 90 and the seed sells at
5000 per bushel or $4,000 making a
grand total of S62 90 per acre.
AS money consideration no one
need fear Alfalfa
The third crop is the one to let go to
seed.
am frequently asked what kind of
land is best adapted to the raising of
Alfalfa. Black land, the heavier the
better provided 1T is dry. 1t is my
opinion that there is not foot oe soil
in Harrison County that will not grow
Alfalfa successfully, provided that the
soil is permanently above water.
w. S. KELLY,
Elm Lake Farm,
Mnndamin Iowa