The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-24
How .to Cure AIfnlfn.

The leaves of alfalfa contain more than three times as much protein as the stems, a ton of alfalfa leaves con- taining as much protein as 2,SOO pounds of bran, says Prof. CottreIl in a bulletin of the Kansas Experiment Station. Protein is the material in feed necessary for the formation of blood. lean meat. and milk Every effort. then, should be made to cure the alfalfa in such a way as to save all the leaves possible. The method of curing will vary with the condition of the crop. ground and weather. When al- falfa has made a slow growth. and at the time of cutting, the ground and the weather are dry, there Is no difn- culty In curing. Often, under these conditions. it is safe to rake within few hours after moving. and stack a few hours after the alfalfa has been put in the windrows.
 When alfalfa has made a rapid growth, and is rank and succulent and the weather and ground are damp the problem of curing is a difficult one. It is easy to dry the leaves, but the stems will contain much moisture after the leaves are too dry. Alfalfa hay should become 30 dry before stacking that when a handful of stems are tightly twisted together no water can be squeezed out. The most practical way to accomplish this. and at the same time to save the leaves is the plan to adopt. and this will vary with different sea. sons and places.
 There Is practically no dificulty in curing any but the first crop. When the conditions for curing the first crop are unfavorable. we have usually found the most practicable method to be, to cut the alfalfa in the morning after the dew Is off, allow 1t to barely wilt in the swath. then rake. and before night put in narrow, tall cocks. After the dew is off next morning and the surface of the ground has become dry. we open the cocks carefully so as not to shatter off he leaves If the wealth. CT Is favorable. the hay may be stacked in tho afternoon; if not. we recock carefully, and repeat treatment until the hay is properly cured.
 Some alfalfa growers, in stacking the first cutting of alfalfa, put alfalfa and dry straw or prairie hay in alter nate layers. This Is a satisfactory way if the dry material is available. Others use ten to fifteen pounds of salt or air-slaked lime for each ton Sf hay. sprinkling the salt or lime so as to cover as much of each load as possi- ble. Experiments made at this station indicate that considerably less gains are made by cattle when salt is mixed with the feed. A trial of lime on al- falfa. made at this station, show lit- tie effect. From all the experience we have gained to date. we advise that the best way to prevent spontaneous combustion of alfalfa is to thoroughly cure before stacking. It Is not often that all the conditions necessary to produce spontaneous combustion are present. and ordinarily there is no dan ger. where reasonable care Is taken. except with the first cutting. and with cutting only when the growth Is rank.
 Should Dairymen Sow Wheats
 The question of rotation of crops should interest dairy farmers as well as others. In some respects 1t Is more important to him than to his cotton growing neighbor. Rotation is based On sound principles and should as a rule. be practiced by all farmers. but. as already stated. it should be the rule with the dairyman. This---not alone because 1t is good farming-but be- cause he needs the by-products of the grain crop to feed and bed his cows.
 Two plans are suggested. one of which will include the growing of