Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1904-12-03

Feeding AUaita.
J. L. c. OF Charlottesville. Va,
writes: ~Wiu you kindly give noe IN
stuctions as TO method OF preparing
land for alfalfa. time TO SOW seed. how
10 fertilize. etc. My land is well drained
creek land which has been cropped
with corn. wheat and grass in rotation
for a number OF years"
Answer: With the rotation practced I
on your farm, your land should contain /
n fair amount OF nitrogen. and sair /
amount OF vegetable matter. and II Il /
has been I'm a hood crop the past year. 7,
should be comparatively free OF weeds T,
and grass. an important consideration
where alfalfa is 10 be seeded.
Alfalfa is a omparatively delicate
plant during the FIRST year Of its
growth, and It IS often reported TO have
failed ina a community, when IL has
simply been choked out with weeds.
I 1t is thus important TO have the land
| clean before using alfalfa. Summer
J following constitutes an excellent
method of preparing land for alfalfa
1t is important that You seed the al
falfa as soon as possible: in fact II
would have been better II it could have
been seeded before the first OF Sep
tember Il is comparatively little
I trouble 90 seed 10 In the fan. IL IS
] advisable TO use about twenty pounds
OF well selected seed. and IL is impor-
tant that you test the seed 20 ascertain
II il will terminate. before sowing it.
A fine seed bed should be prepared
by blowing and narrowing. and IL the
sub-soil is tenacious. 81 will often be
advisable 90 sub-s0I. because the al
faifa plant has a tap root which strikes
down deeply into the soil. The ability
OF alfalfa 10 remain on tho land Tor q
number OF years is due to The wonder
ful development OF It's root system
and hence every effort should lee made
to prepare the soil SO rs 20 encourage
root growth.
Alfalfa is lcgume and has the
power OF the other le-umes Of extract
ing nitrogen from the air through thu
bacteria which 1--we An certain nodulc
which develop on its roots. As 4 rule
these nodulcs are not present I'm th
soil. and therefore artificial inocula
ton becomes necessary in order 90 on
sure their rapid growth and develop
ment. Unless the bacteria are pres
ent. the nodulcs Will not form, an
alfalfa will draw on any nitrogen Their
may be en- the soil until 80 Us exhausted
and then dwindlc away and die
- incubation may bc accomplished
several ways. Perhaps the most pra'
teal is 10 secure a hundred pound
I or we'll inocuiated soil from hcl
: where alfalfa has grown for sewers
years. First mix this with the sees
"a and supply broadcast or with ara
A Thompson barrel seeder is a GOO
|, implement 90 use. and the alfalfa ma
p then bc covered with a wecder. y
falfa seeded this FAN eau then be 10
| dressed 60 advantage with farmyai
| manure I'm the spring. or modera
! application OF nitrate OF soda may
4 used. II farmyard manure is not ava
1 able.
| The advantage OF seeding alfalfa
| the fan arises from the fact that
can be cut for hay the next summit
1 whereas. il needed in the spring, il hi
| TO contend with weeds and crab era
throughout the first season of
! growth. and should only be clipped al
| not cut for hay. The clipping is
1 destroy weed growth and stimuli
| root development.-Prof SOule.