The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1904-05-19
Value Of Alfalfa.

Under direction Of J. r. Duggar. OF
the Alabama Experiment Station, at
Uniontown. Ala. experiments in rails
ing alfalfa were made last year. The
seed was sown broadcast March %.
1903 Three cuttings were made UP
to September 3, when drought inter
fered and rendered Il fourth cutting
impossible.
Each cutting Of hay required only
one day in curing. IL was then re-
garded by Mr. Richeson. who was in
charge Of the work. ~ dry enough 10
store in the barn, where it kept with
out moulding.
This shows yield OF more than
four tons of hay per acre when stored.
1t would probably not be safe 10
regard this as thoroughly cured hay.
suitable for storing in large masses.
If. to be thoroughly conservative. we
assume that a further drying out to
the extent of twenty-five per cent. after
being placed i'll the barn, would be
necessary before we could regard this
as thoroughly cured hay. we should
still have a yield of more than three
tons per acre. This is an unusually
large yield Of spring-sown alfalfa in
its first season of growth and Is prob
ably as much as can ordinarily be ex
pected from very young alfalfa, even
when sown in the fall. The conditions
producing this large yield were thick
stand abundant rains from March to
August, thorough surface drainage.
and a supply Of root tubercles.
To emphasize the statement that
this was upland prairie land OF a fair
degree of fertility, the following facts
are mentioned: Corn without fer
tilizer and without any special treat
ment averaged in the two cuts which
bordered the alfalfa area twenty
bushels per acre. The land sown to
alfalfa in March. 1903, was i'll 1902 in
cotton without fertilizer; and in 1901
it had borne crop of corn without
cOwpeas. No St"''le manure had been
applied in very cent years, anG it
is not known that any manure bad
ever been applied. Cowpeas and
melilotus had probably occupied this
land ut some time, since it had been
the policy of the station to make free
use of them in improving the soil.
For several years alfalfa and neil
lotus have been growing on areas adj
jacent to this tract, and this fact may
explain the abundant supply of root
tubercles on the young alfalfa. One of
nc 06 % n1t nll cir 1n,
cases of natural incubation of alfalfa
on prairie land i'll proximity to fields
of melilOtuS.
This narrow tract of land was thor
Oughly surface-drained, shallow
ditch bounding it on each side. Alfalfa
is easily injured by excess of water,
and any land devoted to it in the Cane
brake. should be thoroughly drained.
The yields We're SO nearly the same
on all plots that detailed statements
are unnecessary.
Dry earth from an adjacent area
where alfalfa had grown for several
years was scattered broadcast at the
rate Of 5000 pounds per acre Oh one
plot.
On another plot eighty pounds Of
nitrate of soda was applied, and q
third plot was narrowed with spike
tOoth-harrow after the first cutting.
Neither the use of inoculating earth,
nitrate of soda, nor the harrow had
any material effect on the yield at the
next cutting. 1t is easy to understand
why the inOculating earth was useless
when we state that on ali plots there
was fair supply of tubercles when
the roots were examined, about seven
ty days after planting, when the
plants were about ten inches high. In
this connection it should be added
that melilotus and alfalfa had been
repeatedly grown on adjacent plots
Alfalfa stands higher than any other
forage plant as source of wealth
for the regions to which it is adapted
1t prefers lime soil and is specially
adapted to the better grades of lands
throughout the Canebrake. It has
wonderful possibilities as hay plant
for this reason. Its hay has a recog-
nized place in the larger markets. The
yield is greater than Johnson grass On
lands to which it is adapted. 1t af-
fords a hay that is unsurpassed in
nutritive qualities. and that is capable
of sustaining farm teams without
fraction of the usual ration of corn. |
We can not too strongly advise that
at least enough alfalfa be sown this
spring on every Canebrake farm to /!
afford supply Of hay for the teams |
BY devoting few acres of suitable |
land to this crop, the area of corn |
necessary to feed the teams will be
reduced in two ways: First. by the
smaller amount of corn which it will
De necessary to feed when alfalfa hay
the forage; second, by the
increased yield of corn per acre that
results when the blades are left on the
stalks, instead of being pulled for fod-
1er
Alfalfa is capable Of becoming the
foundation for stock raising in this
part OF the State. 1t makes excellent
md safe pasturage for hogs and
'orses and mules. and no better food