Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-21
SOME FIGURES ON ALFALFA
Agricultural Experiment Station Collects
Valuable Data.
SUCCESSFULLY GROWN ON ALL LANDS
Men who Have Mad IL a study Out
line Their Of Prepar-
ing the Ground and Sow
ing the seed.
From a stan Correspondent

(From a stan Correspondent.)
LINCOLN, April 20.-(Special.)-The
agricultural experiment station OF the Uni
versity Of Nebraska has Issued a bulletin
detailing experiences and results Of ex-
periments with alfalfa. During the winter
Just past a list OF between 500 and 700 names
Of successful alfalfa ~raisers was collected
and to each person was sent a report blank
calling for a definite statement regarding
the processes he employed in obtaining his
stand and Of his subsequent care OF the
crop. There we're 2ss stands reported upon
upland and 273 upon bottom land. Even
in the western portion Of the state the
amount Of alfalfa on the upland is shown TO
be considerable and satisfactory results are
evidently obtained. although naturally the
yield Of hay Is smaller than on the bottom
lands o; that region.
In the eastern part of the state somewhat
heavier yields appear to be obtained from
bottom land, but loss from winter killing or
other cause is greater. Twenty three re-
ports state that upland Is more satisfactory
than bottom land. These come principally
from the eastern portion OF the state or the
irrigated land Of the western portion.
An astonishing feature of the replies is
the large amount of alfalfa that they show
to be growing on land with a clay subsoil.
Sandy clay. clay loan, clay and lime, etc,
were not counted as clay. In spite Of this
Limitation, 245 clay or gumbo subsoils are
reported. A clay or even a gumbo subsoll
does not appear to be a barrier to success
full alfalfa culture.
Method of Preparing Soil.
and further working In 373 cases and by
diaLln1 or pultfuoNfp1 In .a,o,tr, Az
Among the latter is one method that ap-
pears to be popular and satisfactory. This
consists In thoroughly disking corn land
after all trash has been removed from the
field. In the western part Of the state
there are a humber Of good stands OF al
falfa obtained by breaking prairie sod, disk
ing 1t and narrowing In the seed; also by
disking the unbroken sod and narrowing
in the seed. The latter commends itself as
an easy way OF su~pplementing the native
grasses In pastures. The tendency to dis
pense with blowing on unlrrigated land in
creases with the distance westward from
the Missouri.
A study Of the dates OF sowing alfalfa
seed In the spring shows a range from early
March to late June, although where advice
was volunteered II was practically unani-
nous in favor Of early sowing. There were
only eight reports Of summer or fall SOW
ing, Of which one was sown in July, four in
August and three In September.
In 108 cases a nurse crop was used, while
In 393 cases the alfalfa seed was sown with
out any other crop. The use Of the nurse
crop was largely confined to extreme east
ern Nebraska and the irrigated land Of
the west. Many persons who used a nurse
crop say that they would not do SO again.
II has been recommended to use a light
seeding Of small grain, sown earlier or with
alfalfa, to prevent damage by severe winds.
When sown in this way the nurse crop is
mown when eight or ten inches high, Ia
prevent 1t smothering the alfalfa.
In fifty-fve cases the seed was put in
with a drill and in All cases 1t was
sown broadcast. This is at least an in
d~icatlon that II a drill is not available a
satisfactory stand can be sptained by
broadoasting and narrowing in, provided
the other conditions are favorable.
AmOunt of Seed Per Acre.
There we're 1873 reports Of less than
twenty pounds OF seed per acre being used,
and S36 reports Of twenty pounds or more
being sown. The evidence seems to be in
favor of the use Of at least twenty pounds
OF seed per acre.
vi the persons replying 10 the inquiries
221 have stands of alfalfa that yield more
than four tons Of cured hay per acre each
season, while 167 do not get as much as
four tons OF hay per acre.
OF persons having practiced disking al
falfa in the spring or at other times, 1876
report that beneficial results have been
obtained. while seven report that disking
has been Ineffective or Injurious. BY disk
ing alfalfa Is meant going over II in the
spring with a disk harrow before growth
starts, or during summer Immediately after
cutting for hay, 1t is customary to set
the disks at a slight angle. This cuts the
crown root and stirs the soil. Some Of the
correspondents prefer narrowing to disking
Where positive objection was made to disk
ing. 1t was based on the claim that II
caused the crowns to become diseased. TIL
great bulk of the evidence was, however
In favor Of disking.
or the persons who have manure alfalfa
either by blowing in the manure imme.
diately before seeding or by spreading II OF
the field after a stand had been obtained
10 obtained beneficial results, and thirteen
found it to be ineffective or Injurious.