The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1903-10-29
Alfalfa Proves Most
The Profitable Crop.
It's Nutritious Qualities Gives
Strength to All Stock-Three
Crops Can Be Raised.

been awakened in the last two years
to the great value of alfalfa as a
farm crop. No more than ten years
ago it was scarcely known outside
OF Colorado and some other West
ern States, where it was grown be-
cause it was the only perennial for
age they could grow. But in those
sections where it was raised and fed
to stock the extraordinary value of
it was so fully demonstrated, not
only as a crop that could stand
very severe droutb, but for feeding
as we'll, that wide-awake farmers
and others have tried it in all parts
of the country. Speaking of this
crop, the Tri-State Farmer says the
conclusions reached are that like
cowpeas, it will grow in any part of
the country and that also like them
it makes the best forage known.
But that does not cover all the vir-
tues of alfalfa. The fact that it is a
crop that will produce for many
years without resolving and that it
will suit any soil except very wet
one, makes it the best forage plant
any farmer, almost anywhere, can
grow. We have seen it growing in
States that border upon Canada and
also in those that touch Mexico and
the Gulf of Mexico, and about the
only difference was that in the North
they cut only two crops in season
and in the South four of five.
The subject of good forage for
work stock and cattle in the cotton
growing states has always been one
that seriously concerned every farm
err. We believe that the best solution
that will ever be found for this prob
lem is alfalfa. That it can be grown
almost anywhere that cotton will |
make a profitable crop has been
demonstrated often. All along down |
the Red river in Louisiana, through
the influence of the experiment sta
ton in that State, alfalfa has been
sown on quite a large scale and
does finely. Our observation is that
the only sort of land that will not
make alfalfa is that which is natur-
ally wet.
The quality of it, that most COM
mends it as feeding crop, is that
it makes a complete ration for stock.
No farmer or planter would expect
to raise a crop of cotton with mules
or horses fed only on Timothy or
prairie hay; but on alfalfa they will
do fully as we'll as when fed on
Timothy in connection with corn or
oats. Nor is that all; 1t is such a
complete food that in some local
tiles they are feeding hogs on moth
ing but alfalfa, and make fine pork
by so doing. They feed it to them
green as long as it is growing and
then keep them through the winter
on alfalfa hay. As it makes a very
rank growth on good lands a small
tract of land will carry considerable
stock. In Colorado they carry four
cows to the acre on alfalfa. Alfalfa,
to secure the best stand, should be
sown on thoroughly prepared land,
early in the fall. The land should
be plowed some time before it is to
be sown, and just when ready to
sow, harrow thoroughly. To get
good stand will take about twenty
pounds of seed. 1t may be sown 5
broadcast and covered lightly with ;
any sort of implement or a brush. s
1t will grow in any locality where ;
cotton does well, make four crops a S
year. 1t should be cut and fed, ills
led green, not pastured; though in I