Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-02

or of the ordinary varieties seem to me 10
be most promising for western Nebraska.
There is every reason to believe that alfalfa
should give excellent results on much CT
the land in this region. The soil in which
the water level varies from three to ten or
twelve feet from the surface or even where
the surface rises to twelve or fifteen feet
above water should produce a good crop Of
alfalfa. The only difficulty to be feared
is that there should not be suf1clent mois-
ture in the top soil to enable the young
alfalfa plant to continue its growth until
the subterranean supply is reached. The
danger OF this will, of course. vary will
the height Of the surface above the water
level.
'In seeding the alfalfa growing on river
bottoms of southwestern Nebraska and
western Kansas we find thai alfalfa there
is not grown without irrigation on soils
fifteen to twenty feet above water, and that
in order to make use of the subterranean
water supply the crop must contain itself
for a few seasons at least on water OBJ
tanned from the natural rainfall. We find
moreover, that these alfalfa growing re-
gions where there is no longer doubt Of its
success are no further west and have prac-
tically no more rainfall thap this section
of the country. On the other hand the sum-
mer temperatures and the rate of evapora-
tion are much higher in southwestern Ne
braska and western Kansas than they are
here. These facts are clearly in favor Of
this section in the production Of alfalfa.
Hints on Planting Alfalfa.
In planting alfalfa on the sander soils
It will be desirable not to stir the ground
any more than is absolutely necessary
owing to the liability of the soil and the
seed being blown out by the wind. On
sandy land growing bunch grass and on
which there is no continuous sod, as Is
usually the case on such land, blowing "a
undesirable. The seed should be put In in
such cases either by stirring the soil only
with a disk and covering 1t with a harrow
or by depositing the seed from a disk or
press drill on land that is already sui
h~ciently loose or that has been ~loosened
by the harrow. The prairie grasses left
standing serve as a protection to the soil
from the wind.
THE less sandy soil is not so dificult 9
one to contend with and seed may be
planted on such land after blowing, OF
simply turning the sod or perhaps In som'
cases after merely disking, depending upoT
the character OF the soil and the density
Of the sod.
THE occasional patches Of once cult
waited land that one occasionally meets will
frequently offers excellent opportunities FOL
the use OF the alfalfa grower. Such soil
are generally sufficiently heavy so tina.
they do not blow, and not so far abov,
|, water that alfalfa cannot make use Of tn
subterranean supply. Most Of them ar
now practically useless from the stand
|, point of productiveness and their utilization
for alfalfa would be clear gain.
bronze Grass on HiEher Land.
"Awnles bronze grass being Of create
value as pasture grass than for hay shoul,
. be used on land not well adapted to alfalfs
On the higher lands there are numerou
I pockets containing considerable moisture
especially in the early spring. In an ordi
. nary season the soil in these places con
. tains SUFFICIENT moisture to successfully
. terminate bronze grass seed and to main
tain the young plant until It has a starr
t The use Of awnless bronze grass in sue,
/ places would give a very early grass in tn
8 spring, producing feed from two to thre
= weeks earlier than the native grass. T h
: grass also continues growth much later 1
the fall and would furnish green feed &
a time OF year when all Of the other natiy
grasses are in the cured stage.
d "Awnless bronze grass could be put 1
by disking and narrowing such soils. wher
q they are light, or where they are heav
n with considerable vegetation on top. B