The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-08-10
Prepared by Prof spillmaR at the Request
cf Commissioners Watson.

aIEAEEA In SlJllIa9 a9ACaRSllIsfa.
IS This valuable crop is adapted to CHI
matte conditions IN al parts OF the
State of South Carolina. 1t is adapt.
ed Co 8 wide Varie5y OF soils, but does
lest on rich aIluvial soils, 1t Will
not grow on distinctly wet land,
thouoh Is viii stand considerable,
overflow &c IS very difficult to start
on poor, thin land and is very subject
11sso destruction from weeds when the
45,lff ana is young and tender. On good
.ssch land the best method OF ssaft ting
alfalfa is Sc pIoagh gh the land broadcast
near or shortly after the middle OF
sumner, harToWing every half day mp
TO The plough TO prevent the forma-
tion Of cleds. The plow should run,
or s inches deep unless the land has
formerly been ploWeds only 8 or &
inches deep, IN that case plough an inch
deeper than the land has been ploUgh-
ed before. Keep the land we'll hor-
roWed so as to Kill the reeds and
keep IN moisture uhtil about the hrst
cf September, then SOW Alfalfa seed
broadcast at the rate of about 20
pounds pef acre and cover II by means
sof drag harrow. If the season is
favorable this viii give good stand. If
The fall turns ont 20 be eeXceedingl dry
Sise stand VIII fail. In that case the
seeding should Se repeated en- the same
land IN very early spring
In uplands that are net IN very
good heart it is wise to 60 TO some
trouble 5n preparing it-for alfalfa. A
good course TO pursue IS TO SOW rye IN
tne fall Of the year. When this rye IS
Leading ont next spring, turn it under
good and deep with turning plough,
harrow Immediately, ssanting the teeth
g:of the harrow SO as to drag out the
rye. Let the land lie about six weeks
to i've the rye time to decompose
thoroughly and let the rains wash
cut the resulting acids from the soil
Tt is good thing to Apply about 20
bushels OF lime per acre at this time
is It is available. This lime should
be air-slacked, sown broadcast, and
narrowed into the surface. After the
rye has had time to rot and the acids
TO be washed out, SOW an early variety
zof cowpsas such as wb3ppoorwlA.
Gut these for hay The latter part of
August. After the hay is of, disk the
lard Very thoroughly and SOW alfalfa
as above idieated.
e isysry important that alfalfa be
allowed to go into winter with q good
covering, which may be secured by
leaving growth Of at least six inches
on the field in the late fall
The worst trouble that viii be met
with IN growing alfala in South Caro-
iina will be fhe presence Of weeds.
particularly crab grass. The remedy
for weeds other than crab grass is to
now frequently the first summer.
The moving will not huri; the alfalfa
and It wi IL discourage most kinds Of
weeds IL crab grass appears In the
alfalfa q different course must bs fol-
lowed. Nov tie field ana put a
heavy drag harrow upon it with the
teeth set fairly straight In this
manner it is possible to harrow the
crab grass ont, for it is easily pulled
sup, while the alfalfa will be harmed
very little il any.
On good land that is Tree from
weeds, ia favorable season, alfalfa
ought TO make four crops Of hay the
first gear after the fall sowing. The
second year it will make four crops
better than than the first. There is
one small feld of alfalfa in South Car
olina sown sixty-nine years ago on
which there is still a moderately good
stand, so that it would seem the crop
is long lived!
The alfalfa crop may be made use of
in three ways with very great advant-
age. First, it furnishes an abund-
ance Of very VARIABLE green feed for
summer. Second, it furnishes large
amount Of very ane hay, which is so
rich that even hogs may be wintered
on the dry hay. They will not make
any gain on this feed, but if given
an abundance Of It they will not lose
weight. The third use is for hog pas
ture. A good stand of aHana on good
land viii carry fromtf Eve to esght head
of hogs per acre during the whole sum-
mer season, and Il these hogs are fed
from ene to three ears of corn each
per day, they will make rapid growth
and produce pork very cheaply.
Alfalfa also makes good pasture for
horses and mules put is dangerous for
cattle and sheep on account Of bloat.
There is danger from bloat only when
cattle and sheep are allowed to run
upon alfalfa pasture, not when it is
cut and fed to them or when the dry
hay is given them.
a very coed way to utilize alfalfa
in binding up worn out soil IS to use
field Of it it for hog pasture, feed
ing the hogs some grain. After three
to Eve years nse in this manner put
another field ins,aifalfa and plough mp
the first one for corn or cotton. The
alfalfa piarI. like all iegnmes, has q
marked fertllizing effect upon the soil,
supplying an abundance Of nitrogen.
It is crop worthy of cultivation all
over the country.
Taken With Cramps.
VIM. Klrmse, a member Of ths bridge
e,o,,1 uorkino near I.iftleport Was taken