Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-02
CattIemen Give Their views.

should not be increased from 80 to 100 per
cent"
Cattlemen Give Their Views.
An invitation was extended by Prof. Lyon
to the cattlemen present to give their
views and narrate their experiences, with
results as follows:
]. w. Thompson said: 81 have two pieces
of alfalfa seven miles south of Bassett.
from which l have good crops; the first
piece Eowed I did not give q fair trial. as
It was sowed on an old piece of ground
which had been plowed and which had been
blown some; I mulched It with manure and
hence succeeded Notwithstanding the un-
favorable conditions. 1t was three years
ago that l sowed the Hrst piece. 1t has
not winter killed at all. 1t wa too wet
last fall to get a good seed crop; l secured
a very good seed crop the year before, I
think that we can grow alfalfa here as
well as they can grow 1t in Kansas. A
good deal Of our land is especially adapted
to 1t. Almost any OF our sandy land Is
good alfalfa land; 1t will not grow where
there is alkali; the standing Of water on
the land in tho months Of June and July
will kill 1t quicker than at any other
time OF year. When rain falls upon the
ground Just after the alfalfa has been
planted 1t is favorable to its termination.
I sowed my first alfalfa crop here on April
8 and the second crop late in May. One
corner Of my alfalfa field is in the valley
where the water stands q part Of the year;
It is entirely under water now; upon ex-
animation the other day I could see the
alfalfa under the water and that 1t was per-
fectly green. l do not believe this water
will kill 1t out. From seven to eight feet
above the water is a very good location
for alfalfa. In the eastern part OF the
state they have been growing better crops
on the hills than in the bottoms"
Alfalfa Grows Well.
z. A.. Thomas said: 81 sowed alfalfi
about six years ago on land six miles south
west Of Bassett, where IL is about seventy
nve feet to water; it was right after q dr.
season and on a piece Of ground that hal
blown. l had the ground plowed. narrowed
the seed sown and then the ground har
rowed again; the amount was twenty pound
to the acre. Our endeavor was to get I
from an inch to an inch and a half int
the ground; II was cut twice the frst sea
S.n ana ne cutting left on the ground
the next year We cut IL twice for hay an
realized about a ton to the acre at saoI
cutting; the next year the yield was Abou
the same; the next year we got three cut
tings with the result of about three ton
to the acre; since then It has been pas
tured heavily and damaged in consequences
l am satined that alfalfa will grow on tn
majority Of the Ian In this country upo
being properly started and taken care Of.
Prof. Lyon; 9TH more you cut Alfalf
the better the plant"
Mr.. Thomas: THE FIRST season a part {
our alfalfa was not cut. l made a compaI
ison between that which Was cut and ths
which was not, with the result Of nndin
out tina the roots OF that which was OF
had penetrated to a greater depth than III
roots OF that which was not cut. l beliey
in discing II in the spring OF the secon
year and each year thereafter, the discs I
be set straight after the FIRST year; in disc
ing as many OF the crowns should be CT
through as possible"
Prof. Lyon: 'In the eastern part Of n
| state We generally plant our alfalfa froi
an inch to an inch and . half. but in tn
1 part OF the state l think you COULD plant
a little deeper as your soil IL a little iight'
than ours"
w. II. Peaks said; Two years ago
made an experiment Of sowing Bromus II
ermis and alfalfa seed together. On OF
4 OF two pieces of adjoining land / harrow'
In the seed and on the other / plowed
, In about ave inches deep; the stan'