The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-04-07
AGRICULTURAL.
POINTS ON ALFALFA.
rhe Seed Bed the Most 1mportnn
Factor In q stand of Alfalfa.

rhe Seed Bed the Most Important |
Factor In q stand of Alfalfa.
The ground for alfalfa should be |
pulverized and deeply |
plowed, but IL must be well settled be-
fore seeding and only the surface loose.
Alfalfa will usually fail IL seeded on
freshly plowed ground. III 1t Is neces-
sary TO plow the ground before seeding,
plow as early as possible, harrow thor
oughly. making a good seed bed, and
then wait until a good rain has settled
the soil before seeding.
A well cultivated cornfield, with the
stalks cut and drawn of, will give
ideal conditions for seeding alfalfa.
Such a field should not be plowed, but
narrowed before seeding. Wheat, oat,
flax and millet stubble ground. plowed,
disked and narrowed thoroughly and
allowed to settle before seeding, fur
nishes good conditions for alfalfa. II
such ground is mellow. plowing may
not be necessary, and the land will
need only to be disked and cross
disked.
The ground must be deeply pulver-
lied, well settled, with good mulch
on the surface and saturated with
moisture, SO as to bring up the seed
quickly and force growth. IL any Of
these conditions are lacking, do not
| sow, advises ii. NJ. Cottrell of Kansas.
With either spring or fall seeding, IL
the land needs TO be plowed, we har-
row each days plowing the day 1t Is
plowed. As soon as the surface has
become dry we go over the ground
with subsurface packer. The packer
leaves the soil firm at the bottom Of the
furrow and loose at the top. The firm
| ing of the bottom soil makes a good
connection with the subsoil and puts
the soil I'm such condition that the wa
ter in the subsoil Is brought up by
capillary action to the soil in which the
roots grow. The loose surface soil as
left by the packer forms a dust mulch
that prevents the evaporation OF mois-
ture from the surface. We follow the
surface packer with a harrow and har-
row or disk every ten days until seed
ing.
On loose and sandy soils the prepara-
ton of the soil is different. the need on
/
as much as possible. One Of the best
preparations for loose soils is to grow
legumes for year or two to add vege'
table matter to the soil and help hold
il together and retain the moisture
The cowpea is one of the best plants
for this purpose.
Sow Only When Conditions Are Right
Sow alfalfa whenever the soil, mois
ture. seed bed and weather are in the
proper condition. Do not sow unit
you have all of these right. IL you hav
to wait a year or two. Alfalfa yield
crops for many years from one seedin,
and several crops each year. A poo
stand means a low yield every cutting
of every year as long as the alfalf'
stands.
In the western part Of Kansas tn
best conditions in regard to moistur
| are found I'm the spring. and sprin
seeding is generally preferable. Th
seeding should be done as early as POI
sible and avoid heavy frosts. In til
northern half of the state the first fl
teen days of April is usually the bes
time. In the southern part Of the stat
seeding may be done slightly earlie
The majority Of failures in sprin
seeding when the ground is properl
prepared are due to late sowing. Wit
late seeding the weeds are liable
get ahead of the young plants. and II
supply of moisture Is less likely to
sufficient.