The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-01
seeding TO Alfalfa.

1t is easy to secure a good stand
of afaIfa-as easy, at least, as with
clover and grasses, and generally cas-
ier-yet there are a few simple but
essential points to bear in mind, says
the Farm and Fireside.
The land must be rich If it is poor,
make it rich with stable manure be-
fore YOU SOW alfalfa. 1t is better to
manure heavily, then grow a crop of
corn, keeping it clean so that no weed
seed is sown in the soil, and the next
season sow to alfalfa; or potatoes may
precede alfalfa with good results. The
land must be we'll drained, either natu-
rally or by tiles. If it is very tough,
heavy limestone clay, loosen it up by
means of heavy manuring, else it will
throw out the alfalfa the first winter.
1t ought to be a limestone soil. If
you are off the limestone. and if blue
grass is not natural to your farm, do
not sow alfalfa without first lining
the field. Spread evenly about twenty
bushels to the acre of freshly slaked
lime, and harrow it. There are mil
lions of acres on which alfalfa can
be proftably grown, and when once
understood there is no crop of more
value to the farmer, especially to the
stock farmer
1t pays to give careful attention to
getting a stand, as it remains in profit
able growth for many years when once
well started, and it greatly enriches
the field on which it grows. PlOW the
field deeper than eVer-plow early in
the winter if you can. Work it up
with harroWs early in the spring. If
you cannot pillow early, disking corn
or potato stubble in the spring may
prove better than late blowing, as it
gives a better seed-bed. Make a seed
ho6 &c ae FfYs gt.Io nd
SOW thirty pounds to the acre of the
best Cleanest seed Obtainable, being
sure that there is no dodder-seed in
it.
If your ground is rich, free from
weeds and well prepared you may
sow little less than thirty pounds to
the acre.
If the land is dry and somewhat clod-
dy, roll it hard after seeding. If it is
moist, SO that the rolling could pack
it unduly, drag with a plank drag.
Leave it smooth. If you can get
earth from an old alfalfa field in
good health, SOW some of this soil on
the field.
There are three principal causes of
failure in alfalfa growing. The first
and most prevalent one is lack of
proper bacteria in the soil. This can
easily be remedied by securing soil
! from field where alfalfa grows uXu-
rlanty, and where ii has grown for
years, the older the field, the better
This soil acts exactly as yeast does.
When the conditions are made right
the bacteria spread rapidly, and soon
the whole field is impregnated, and
the crop will grow. Such soil may
be spread on fields where alfalfa is al
ready feeble, and if this is the
| difficulty the result will be bene-
fetal.
The second cause is the lack of pot
ash in the soil. If properly inoculated
and drained, the strong clay soils are
the best. On any other, and even on
these, an application Of sulphate of
| potash, or a mixed fertilizer rich in
potash, will be of decided advantage.
| If the soil is in the least acid, an ap-
| plication of twenty bushels of lime
| to the acre is absolutely neces-
| sary.
The third difficulty is lack of
| drainage. Alfalfa likes plenty of water,
| but there must not be so much in
| the soil that air cannot get to the
| roots. If the soil is Water-soaked
for any length of time the crop will
not thrive.