The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-05


 ture is wanted SOW separate fields for this purpose.
 Hogs thrive remarkably well on al- falfa pasture, and cheap pork can be made by growing hogs this way; in fact alfalfa has solved the hog growing ques- tion. together with that of cheap pork for the south as cheap pork can be made by growing hogs this way, with an addi- tional feed of corn, slops and other feeds.
 While alfalfa will produce hogs cheaply, yet they will need some grain to finish them off. Right in this connection let me say that on every farm there should be kept a few dairy cows to eat the al- falfa and pea vine hay. A hand separa- tor should also be kept. the cream sold and the skim milk mixed with chop feed made from rye. corn, soy or sofa beans, COW peas and oats all mixed and fed to the hogs to finish them up for the mar ket. In this way pork can be produced for 21k cents to 3 cents per pound.
 There is some danger in pasturing cat tie and sheep on alfalfa as 1t may cause bloat in both, especially when pastured wet. Where cattle or sheep are pastured they should only be allowed to run on the pasture a few hours each day. This way the nasturing of both cattle and sheep may be made both safe and profita- ble.
 When to Cut.
 Alfalfa should be cut when in full bloom and after the first year cuttings may be made at intervals, according to the growth of the plants, as many as six cuttings having been reported In one sea- son. This, of course, will depend upon the length of the season where grown. In most of the western states the hay Is put up right after the machine and allowed to cure in the stack. where 1t cures out perfectly. retaining its bright green color. as well as sweet odor In sections where there Is more moisture this plan might not work so well. and some curing may be required before stacking. Yet the sooner the hay Is taken up out of the exposure the better. or course. in this. as in all farm operations, one has to be governed by local condi- tions
 Alfalfa hay to be merchantabe must retain it's bright green color and sweet odor. Any exposure to light causes it to fade quickly, and for 1t to become wet greatly reduces it feeding value so 1t Is important that it be gotten away from exposure or weather at once. After being cut where stacked in the field the stacks should be capped off with straw or some other covering Heavy canvass will an- swer admirably for covering Better however. bale the hay, as 1t can better be cared for in this condensed form Bale the hay right in the field.
 Yields and Profits.
 Wonderful stories have been reported on the yields and profits derived from alfalfa. As to yields reports of from four to six tons per acre are not un- common, while at the agricultural col lege in Oregon 1t Is stated that under a test trial to see just what it would do that eighteen tons were cut from one acre in one season.
 In Colorado. in the Arkansas river bot toms. where grown under irrigation seven tons per acre for one season was the highest yield reported From reports made by twenty growers in seven coun- ties in Alabama the average yield was shown to be three tons ger acre. As many as six tons per acre have been re- ported from Texas, though four tons is rather above the average in this state. Taking the reports from over a large range of country. both from the east and west of the Mississippi, an average of four tons per acre per annrm. so far, Is about the correct yield. or what may be reasonably expected under the present methods now used in growing alfalfa. However the writer Is deciuedl. Of the opinion that when the matter of soil preparation is more fully understood and practiced as outlined in this bulletin, the average yield of alfalfa per acre per an- mum can be brought up to sl', tons.
 As. to profits in growing alfalfa the yields have been given and with prices per ton it Is an easy matter to figure put the profits.
 We find prices ranging from s4 to So per ton, owing to the section of country where grown. Tn Texas, in 1903. one grower sold his entire crop at $16 per ton, while In Colorado at the same time. the price was only $45O per ton. For 1904 | A..tA he yIh lower, while the prices in Colorado and the northwest have held up to about the same as former years. In Alabama the prices for 19o2 and 1903 and 1904 have been s15 per ton. The price has been about the same for all the southern states.
 The cost to harvest and put the hay on the market varies in the different states but runs from S1 50 to $2b0 per ton so that the net income will range from $30 to $40 per acre.
 Feeding Value. Alfalfa, like all other clover families is rich in nitrogen and Is a universal forage for all kinds of stock. In fact it Is almost a complete ration. However 1t Is deficient in starch, fats and fiber, and to obtain best results from alfalfa it is necessary to feed with 1t good amount of corn fodder, wheat or oat straw. as we'll as some grain-corn preferable. AL falfa Is rich in protien-the albuminoids and other nitrogenous compounds which when fed to stock are transformed into blood, bone. muscle and tendon but 1t lacks in the carbohydrates that go to make up fat, so that 1t is best for some or all of the above named feeds be used In connection with 1t In order to furnish a complete or balanced ration. Analysis of alfalfa hay grown in Ala bama according to the experiment sta- ! ton at Auburn, Ala, is as follows: Pro- tien 14 per cent. starch and sugar 4S per cent. fat percent, fiber 20 percent. | ash per cent. and water per cent. So l from this analysis we see that where l fat is the thing wanted, that some othe- | food would be very necessary, and for ! hogs nothing could be better than the chop feed and skim milk as recommend | ed above.
 | Some experiments and an analysis made | in Nebraska show or give the following comparisons: Five tons of alfalfa con- tain HOO pounds of protien and is equal in | food element to any of the following: Cotton seed meal 2.956 pounds. linseed meal 3,744 pounds wheat bran 9.0l6 pounds, COW pea hay 10.1S5 pounds and timothy hay 3s.245 pounds.
 Experiments are now being made by drying and grinding alfalfa hay, which is proving quite a success and promises to i! add even more to the feeding value of the