Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1904-11-11
agricultural.
THE CULTIVATION OF ALFALFA


ceived an interesting letter on Alfalfa
Culture" from Mr.. Charles A. Council
man, Baltimore county. Mr.. Council
man about three weeks ago received q
letter from Mr.. A. s. Hitchcock, of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture, in which he said al have been
informed that you have an alfalfa field
OF about 100 acres, which is giving good
returns, and which has been in alfalfa
for a number Of years. AS we receive
so many inquiries from Maryland con.
corning alfalfa and hear of so many fall
ures Of this crop | should be glad to
have information concerning your meth
DDS" In response to this request Mr..
Councilman has sent TO Mr.. Hitchcock
q copy of his letter to DR.. Patterson.
AN EXPERTS PRESCRIPTION.
Mr.. Councilman writes to DR.. Patter-
son in part as follows:
"Your investigation through the agen-
cy Of W. T. L. Tallaferro in his bulle-
tin No. IS Oh the "Adaptability Of the
Soil Of Maryland to the growth of AL
falfa" has opened up an interest which
will certainly eventuate in great good to
the farmers Of our State.
''In this particular l wish to urge
that you bring before the board of trus-
tees at its next meeting q recommends
ton TO the effect that you be given au-
thority to secure the use Of Is acres of
land for Q series Of years in each of the
FIVE tobacco-growiDg counties of South
ern Maryland. viz. Prince Georges,
Charles, st. Mary's, Calvert and Anne
Arundel; that you be authorized to de-
vote sufficient money to the proper pre-
paration and seeding Of these tracts of
and to alfalfa and the proper protection
Of the same from trespass by stock or
otherwise that selection be made at
central positions where the results will
gain the widest publicity. and that men
be selected who will heartily cooperate
with you in making these experiments
success.
In personal experience Of seAeral
years L have met with great success
growth Of alfalfa. l have always found
that no claims made for it are overesti-
mated, and | am convinced that Mary
land soils are well suited to its success
full cultivation. In this connection
wish to give my experience with this
plant, trusting that it will lead others to
do likewise, and thus lay the foundation
ola more profitable agriculture for my
associates in our common vocation.
"In growing alfalfa in Maryland,
when the conditions are right, it is no
more trouble to obtain stand than it is
Of red clover, and when a good stand of
alfalfa is obtained it is good for IL or 5
years, and will give you from five to six
tons Of alfalfa, besides grazing 20 hogs
to every acre Of land you have in alfalfa.
SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS.
"In starting the crop | prefer to take
q clOver6eld the year before and cut the
FIRST and second crops of clover and let
it remain on the land, and then late IN
the fall | pillow as deep as l can and turn
all under, and during the winter l spread
rs bushels Of unslakcd lime to the acre.
Ia the spring, about tn FIRST of April,
rs soon as the ground is dry enough to
work, | harrow and roll the field aud
work it down to fine seed bed and let
it stand until about the first of May.
This will terminate the weed seeds in
the ground. | get earth from my old
alfalfa and spread about 500 pounds to
the acre. then harrow thoroughly, so
as to kill all the young weeds that have
started, and make a fine, smooth seed
bed. | then take a Thompson wheel
barrow sower aud SOW 30 pounds Of the
best alfalfa seed that l can buy q pre-
fer either the Salt River Valley or Ozark
Valley seed). | cover with a Lewis
smoothing harrow and roll the field. |
then let the field rest, unless | should
happen to strike dry spell Of weather
after the sowing, as the dews will germ
mate the seed, and the young plant at
this period Of its life cannot stand dry
weather, and mary in consequence will
perish, and this is the cause Of so many
poor and irregular stands Of alfalfa.
Nov, on the other hand, il you have
had sufficient moisture the young plants
have made rapid progress. and about
June 20 to July the alfalfa will be ~
or 10 inches high and will commence to
show yellow spots on the leaves.
then run my mower over the field and
let clippings remain on the field. Now
again is q critical time in the life of the
young plant The fox tail, wild carrot,
crab grass and other summer weeds will
give it struggle for its existence.
again run the mower over the field to
keep the weeds down, and about the
middle Of August to September | NOW
again. | then let it rest until winter,
keep all stock aud teams of the field,
and during the winter if you find any
weak spots or poor knolls in the field
top doess the entire field so good, but
this must be done when the snow is on
the ground, as stock or teams running
or working over an alfalfa Geld when the
ground is frozen. without snow, has q
tendency to kill it out.
BY April rs your field will be we'll
started, and when about FIVE inches high
turn the hogs 10 at about 10 pigs to the
acre. A 6-weeks-old pig. turned 10 at
this time, you can take up the first of
November, and they will average 1875
pounds. When the field is about two.
thirds in bloom cut for hay. Start your
mower as soon as the dew is of, and in
the evening, If you have good hay
day. rake aud put in small slender cocks.
Let the cocks stand in the field for day
or so, then store in your mows, sailing
at the rate Of peck of salt to the load.
You will cut your field three times the