Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1902-02-22
CARE OF ALFALFA FIELDS.
Bulletin Issued by the New Mexico
Agricultural College,
GOOD ARTICLE FOR FARMERS.

IN New Mexico. II troms one of the
PRINCIPAL sources of revenue TO the
farmer of this section Thousands of
ions are shipped annually and il forms
The bulk of the food for stock through.
ont this region Other crops are slow.
~ but surely giving place TO IL. The
acreage in some sections IL simply
enormous,
SO long as present prices rule. alfal.
IA viii continue to hc the dominant
crop and the acreage may be- expected
to increase. The profit in growing al.
ialia at present prices. reckoning cost
OF production and interest upon the
investment, is such as 10 draw even
inc amateur into somewhat extensive
operations
These substantial profits which have
been realized for a number of years.
has u is believed. led TO considerable
carclcssness and lack of diligence on
the part of the farmer In the care of
alialia Rclds. Alfalfa u grown with
the greatest of ease and even in care
less hands field not too old returns
fair profits. But the time may be eX.
pcctCd TO come when there will be
somewhat sharper competition than is
telt at the present time. The writer
does not wish tn give the impression
that the farmer and ranchman will he
driven out of the business nut believes
that more study and care will be de
manded II the present rate of profits is
to continue
One can hardly pass through a field
without noticing the bare spots and
soddy patches The alfalfa has been
drowned out or otherwise mishandled.
and the aggressive native grasses
have taken its place. No one will con.
tend for a moment that these grasses
are equal to alfalfa. They sap the soil
and encroach upon the alfalfa plants.
The bare spots are Objectionable pop
ulor opinion to the contrary Very
coarse. woody alfalfa does not bring
so good price nor find so ready sale
as fine alfalfa As competition i'm.
creases. greater discrimination may be-
expected in this line, and the matter
VIII he forced upon the alfalfa grower
IA way that will command his atton.
tion.
II is not an extremely difficult mat.
ter to prevent the bare spots and the |
encroachmcnt of wild grasses Pre- |
ventive measures will largely do away !
with this difficulty and prompt atten-
ton may he expected to eradicate the |
evils entirely
Among the preventive means. the fol. |
lowing NAY be mentioned,
First, through preparation of the |
land before seeding. The land should |
he perfectly level and properly Dor |
1ered so that the water can be easily |
controlled.
Second perfect seed-bcd should Ice |
formed so that the maximum gcrmin |
alton may be reached.
Third. enough seed should be sown |
per acre to insure perfect stand. even |
under somewhat adverse circum. |
stances. should they appear: also the |
nurse crop. il one Is used, should be |
chosen with discrimination
Fourth, the time of seeding should !
Do that which has proven to he hest |
throughout a long period of time
Fifth. the irrigation should he car. |
riod on with care as 20 season and FIRE |
quenCy on the particular soil To be |
handled and the way the water Is ap- |
Piled to all portions of the field Al |
talta Is very susceptible To injury from |
standing water during hot weather. |
and, therefore, the greatest care should |
b" exercised To prevent water from |
standing too long on low lying portions |
of the field
sixth. never pasture short. espec.
tally in the winter. Alfalfa mas won
doriul rccuperative powers. hut con.
tinuous nipping off o. the crowns will |
damage the plants and eventually de |
crease the yield not little. Horses |
are particularly hard on alfalfa fields |
used as winter pastures because they |
they are able To crop close and not in
frequently paw loose dirt away from
the plants and bite of the crowns one
fourth or even One-half inch below the |
surface of the ground. II is not hard |
10 understand that the loss of the bud |
n growing point may be detrimental to
the growth and usefulness OF the
plants, causing many TO die and re-
sulting In bare spots later 10 be over
grown by obnoxious grasses.
After the damage is done there re
mains no remedy but to pillow up the
field and rc-sccd or 10 disc thoroughly |
and To rc.seed the bare spots II the
field has not detcriorated too much,
the latter is much to be preferred,
by diligence and careful handling
or prompt action closely following any
upon the llfe of the
plants. the quality and yield of alfana
may be maintained and the profits rel
atiyely enhanced.
j. J. VERNON