The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-13
TIE NEW AND OBSERVER SUNDAY MORNING. JULY 49, 1902

yellow and dying has been such a COM
mon occurrence in all parts of the east
for the past forty years of my experience.
that l had years ago come to the con-
clusion that it was useless to try to
grow alfalfa successfully in the east and
south. Fortunately, however. have lived
and learned from tAe experience of
others. 1t is one of the greatest facts
in regard to the great value of Farmers
Institutes that the oldest and most ex-
perienced of us may often pick up ideas
at Institutes from the experience of
others which open UP a new view of
things. This was the case with this
writer. Engaged in travelling at the
Maryland Institutes, in company with
Mr.. j. E. Wing, of Ohio. who has made
a great success there in the growing of
alfalfa, l listened with great interest to
what he said in regard to this crop. Mr..
Wing had had the same experience with
alfalfa turning yellow and dying out the
first summer. and he had found out the
remedy. This is simply to NOW it as
soon as these symptoms show, or before.
when the rag weeds threaten to over
top it. The moving of the tops seemed
to refresh the roots and to put new life
into the growth. A second and even a
third moving is given, even though there
is not growth enough to save for hay.
Then the plants go into winter strong,
and become an assured success. Here,
then, is the whole secret of getting a
stand of alfalfa. The proper soil with
a subsoil easily penetrated by the roots.
Lime at the rate of not less than 20
bushels per acre before seeding, and
moving two or three times the first
summer. When sown in the south in the
fall, there will be growth enough the
next summer to make the cuttings into
hay, while if sown in the spring the
mowings should be left as a mulch.
Then, in all sections of the country there
are here and there spots where alfalfa
has been successful, and soil from such
lands scattered thinly over the newly
seeded field will make the stand more
certain. The only drawback in seeding
alfalfa in the soCth in the fall is the
fact that September ana October are
usually, there. months of intensely dry
weather. When this is the case. the
sowing had better be deferred till Feb
ruary but the blowing should be done in
the fall, for q we'll compacted soil is as
necessary as for the wheat crop. Never
SOW alfalfa with a grain crop, but always
alone. In Kansas the majority of good
growers who have been successful, ad-
wise 20 to 80 pounds of seed Ders acre.
This it is stated would be eXtravagant
if all the seed were good. pound Of
alfalfa seed contains about 100000 seeds.
If 90 per cent of them grow 20 pounds
would give SO plants per square foot.
After nine tenths of these have persisted
we would still have an ample stand As
low as eight or ten pounds OF good seed
have been used with success. Avoid old
alfalfa seed by dealing with seedsmen
who have an established reputation to
maintain. Old seed will grow we II if it
is plump and has been handled properly
but shrunken seed should be avoided
and as a rule, fresh seed but one year
old, is to be preferred. The best seed
is of a bright, uniformly, yellow color,
but new seed from causes that do not
affect it's vitality, is often more or less
discolored. Old seed grows darker in
color and diminishes in vitality. Seeding
is best done with a press drill, and
covered about one inch though a deeper
cover may be better in very dry soil.
Alfalfa is one of the coming forage
crops in the east and south. 1t will
, thrive in the cold of the northern winters
and will stand the heat of the southern
summer, and while, as we have said. it
is not a crop to take into a short rota-
tion, permanent plantation of alfalfa
will be found a great addition to the
farm moving.