The Democratic advocate., 1904-05-21
TEXAS ALFALFA KING.
r. e. Smith of Sherman Has 1000
Acres of It.

pounds per bushel-10 cents per pound-SlS
per acre, 900 acres, $4,000. That's some
more.
A total of SIS, 900 per annum. That's con-
siderable.
Small wonder, then, writes a correspondent
of the Dallas (Texas) News, that r. b.
Smith, of Sherman, is called ''the alfalfa
king" for the thousand acres referred to be
long to him. His first planting was done 10
years ago, when he began by experimenting
with FIVE acres. He has steadily increased his
meadows until now they embrace 1000 acres,
and he is still increasing the acreage as fast as
possible each year. So great have his ship
ments become that the railroad company some
time ago built siding near his farm to afford
him switch facilities.
In speaking ofthe growth and cultivation
of alfalfa Mr.. Smith said:
'In the first place, proper seed should be
used. | mean by this that on uon-irrigated
land seed from land that has not been irri-
gated should be used, and on irrigated land
seed from land that has been irrigated should
be used. want TO emphasize this strongly,
so that in buying seed the farmer may know
that be is getting the right seed for his partic.
ular land. If home grown, nou-irrigated seed
cannot be obtained that can be bought by
sending to Kansas for them. OF course the
non irrigated seed are almost altogether used
in Texas, as very little irrigation is practiced
in alfalfa growing here.
"Any land suitable to the production of
wheat and corn is good alfalfa land. Deep
soil is best Twenty pounds of seed will plant
an acre. And right here | want to say that
the wheelbarrow seeder is the best of all
seeders. | have tried every make of seeder l
have seen from the biggest and mosS costly to
the smallest and cheapest, but the wheelbar-
row seeder discounts them all, in my opinion.
1t is operated by one man, who furnishes the
motive power himself and plants 16-foot
swath at a time. There are some, however,
that are smaller, but this is the size use.
1.-The best time for planting is in the fall
September, October or NOvemb ber-but when
ever the ground is in best condition. When
planted in spring February is the best month.
.sBlack sandy land, think, is best after il
has got started, but it is harder to get started
than on the black waxy. Any good soil will
do, however. Land should be prepared like
an onion bed; any farmer knows what that
means-thoroughly. | use subsoiler pulled
by six or eight mules when preparing for
seeding, and run it 16 or is inches deep, fol
lowing in pillow furrow. | then use a disc
harrow, then tooth harrow, then a big drag
made Of 2xl2 plank Tapped like weather
boarding. | am particularly pleased with the
work done by this drag, for it crushes the re-
naming clods and smoothes of the ground.
on which big seed roller is drawn before and
after planting, when possible.
II cut at first bloom, first in April and last
in early December. If seasons were ideal
believe it could be cut every 30 days, but, OF
course, they are not, aud so four cuttings are
usually the number. The number of cuttings
depends on the conditions, seasons, etc. 1t
should average a ton an acre each cutting,
making four tons per snBum. As 20 the price,
have never sold any for less than SIS ton.
The price does not vary much. | ship nearly
all my hay-sbip TO all parts of the country
1T produces from tive to six bushels Of seed
an acre each cutting. There is usually but
one seed crop per annum. which Is the second
or third. If there be two crops cat, they
should be the second and third. Each can be
had under favorable conditions. Seed are
now worth Is cents a pound That IS high.
Ten cents pound is a good price. get seed
from the second and third cuttings only.
alfalfa is perennial. When once planted,
If planted well, il is done for lifetime. As
you see by the roots on those lunches We
pulled up along the edge Of that ravine, i goes
down into the soil to an almost unlimited
depth when the ground IS SO il can penetrate.
Indeed, believe the Government agents re-
ported that they bad found in California one
root that had attained length Of l29 feet.
Hence you see that If there is anything IN the
eoUT,s far ;,s ranrndne,iven4ss
81 -, - sag ca tbs information Of those
~, 49, bove nla,fed alf,lfs Ia, wear and
go = -, ~ 5as;rs5 ras.I, ~, eneonr,.
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80 oeiSie Ttaa 5.,;,,,I,,as -. ,,,f,,,r-
tSSne P'9a., .:-io-i'. A.. Ia ,,or,h
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~. a1t1, hnr,s ,ba vonng nIant Ike coId Srv Wind
T5s;s ,,,sy acconr, f,r The faiipre of those who
-ian,ad LIS ~ tss, waar a,J vbo nerbans have
ii~, PlansI so,.Ss5 az -, - ,,,3er,aLs f,r,bsr
aisuo:s iar.:e
1T ..;Ii ;,,,-0.s:, ..-oa,s and i,
al go !. I,:. Il. 80 ,,ss,,,rs,-,
80 ~ ~ t;,5 - s,-a.I - : 81
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- 49, 49, l,yo,v, ~, ;,;ur. anv kind of
s.col, s.~s
ssAle.le. ill ,,as,,,ro from, IA ~ ~ head Of
ia''A j Sr,,t5o ~ - 20 u,
noss Pet a.. a.. -, Iii 7,
ue silu nOtseS 1HA' s". ~ P's1
= mug lol soA'9 as y vi !, -. -.
sn;naIs ~? healthy and bes;des. thew Are nroit.
aniLnais neal.ny auu IssiIeI, h ..is s.e a
anie- As yJa "a. i,.is1 ..: 7,
hlne; Ia. IA ",,Ia 4 ', -. -
nea.any $50 e1.s-..N =, - AZ.
haeIns SnoIe.A v = - s5 y y, rIe.Is,
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theh mere y al 1uee'; i 'O' us
Is Is % piaht me spos 70 "
ieruhe'ng tnem wen. rms rms mas tne
lecl ol ui4"Iue Ho Hon tue so5t s
upon Nhlcu 'ng PaIS1si'e .eeus r .'i.s
tne root rot Ine lsuaeu' u a
says lnat my me'hou oi uo'ng 'nis Is me pio'
per Tne. -i.:.L .le.Is. :.
= sn11uet mug ~. =
sPiehuiI' anu 1nas = q : - - ~ -
oees; Ah uVN Hes0tia'ihs i"i 'ie 'oeA''uh
Oi ISEge apiHi9 uea. " r.,
nIaia, hAe 'e S'i.el ~ = 2
leIullzes' 09cause ~ .. ~ e.ti5 seisie5 =.
nlsiugeu niel W ti9-'''''' -
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n n ueoaue ~ a'iH'.fl .I - -
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a. nj 'A.ltsa - '..- IA - - 80
See 's .ia,,;,,r. = - - ,es;,;r', :, he
. r;,b IL n,s,be5s nod
- sI.;.,;c1l 81 arrss,;,,,, hsre ba,r.
- i'' e"'''' 0''0" ''''-
,e.lf, : - ,Id as b;s,orv Ahopt a decade
Aiialla L = "s o'' a. III r. ~ 49,
aso ~ 80 49,, F.a,ar, e,ro,,, -,
oodssi 'h e,lI;na Tnsa af Kiag Cor,on ana
$50 r., sba ;nieres, has increased and The
Over Tsxas oklaboma. Indian Territory.
Arizona and Kansas alfalfa is sending its roots