Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-03-24

az agriculture, alfalfa at two year.
adds TO each acre over 500 wor,h
fertility In natures most asssE -
plant foods. nitrogen, phosphorus IVY
and potash. We will never have NY
much alfalfa until the ever luh.rasas ~
demand for export Is filled, ana s@ -
! Mound OF Nebraska corn is fed ~ \ - -:
| Nebraska alfalfa, to Nebraska CIV WY .
Nebraska sheep and Nebraska bnaas
and our farmers are shipping tsaNa q
/ loads of fat steers 10 Nebraska raetsSua
houses, each one OF which would maIss NJ
I Nebraska's Challenger look Ike a sss a
| milk Nebraska calf. ~
In securing a stand OF alfalfa H.. an
things must be carefully and intslpWS N
gently done, J.. e.. selection Of seed -,
preparation OF the seed bed. A nros
erlv prepared seed bed planted 10 ~
hardy seed will usually have a scatts,
ing stand. but you had better thru
your good seed into an old well th,s 4
on unprepared land.
To D the field for Alfalfa v
| should be plowed four or five inchs
deep. and before the clods have : &
chance TO dry and harden, they shoula 3
be crushed with a float, then harrow I
and Loaf again in the opposite direa.
ton. After each rain, as Don as tho
/ surface is dry enough so II will mol \
pack. and before a crust forms, the I
harrow should be used again.
About the middle OF April, or as soon
as danger OF frost is passed, the seed
should be sowed evenly over the flea
and with a harrow thoroughly cover \
after which nothing should be done in.
TIL the weeds are from ten inches to 4 |
e-o4 hfuh vs-hay1 .fhaN ChnITld ha AL
with a mower. If they are heavy
enough TO smother the young alfalfa
plants they should be raked UP ana
hauled off.
we have found that a corn field that
was well cared for the past season Is
an ideal place To secure a stand. If
there are a few pig weeds. so much the
better, as You ARE almost sure 10 get a
good stand where there is plenty Of
pigweed. The pig weed seems 20 grow
best on land which is suitable for al
fasfa. and it is easily discouraged by
moving.
Il is best TO plow the ground In the
faii or early in the spring, and then
keep il narrowed after each rain until
seeded, as time gives the soil an OPP
portunity TO settle. and the many har-
rawing5 prepare il for the alfalfa seed,
which comes up in few days after seed
ing. When first ii comes w ii is very
tender and brittle and you should not
attempt 10 harrow IL TO break the crust,
should one form. as the harrow will
10 more harm than good. If you have
carefully followed me there Is not much
danger, as the different kinds OF weeds
which are sure TO be present Will have
the start of your alfalfa, and you will
see where they are going ahead and
breaking the crust for your alfalfa
plants.
In seeding we always use a seeder
which will put on about ten pounds
TO the acre, taking a strip n rod wide,
the operator walking at an ordinary
pace: then turn and go over the field
the other way and You viii be less
likely 10 have balks than If you try TO
put the full twenty pounds 10 the acre
going over once.
After your meadow is established ii
is generally considered a good plan.
each spring as oon as the frost is out
of the ground, 10 20 over the alfalfa
fields with a disc and thoroughly pull
verse the surface, as this cultivator
not only loosens the soil and thereby
conserves moisture. but ii Kills all
grasshopper eggs which have been de-
posted in the field.
In some parts of the state pocket
gophers are quite bad. i have found
that a little s~trychhine and potato
dropped into their holes-or an intel
ligent boy, a few steel traps and a
handful Of shingles viii solve the prob
lem.
Selection of seed is a matter which
often must be left to the honesty and
Judgment of another. as it is not al
ways possible TO get il grown in our
own locality, and for hat reason We
ChnaF11 hQ careful nF whom Wa hNV.
Seed shipped in from the south is dear
at n price. imported or foreign seed
is worse than none. and northern seed,
or that grown in a climate similar &c
u own, is the best.
Land situated on the high, dry up
lands of central and western Nebraska
are we'll adapted 10 seed growing
Special machinery is required for har'
vesting, threshing and cleaning, which
often brings the cost OF the seed up t
10 and Is cents per pound.
Constant moving for hay is q bene
fit to alfalfa, but allowing it to stan'
for seed often weakens it to such al
extent that several years are require,
for For that reas0n man.
growers refuse TO try for "a seed GRO
no matter how fiattering may be thei
prospects. The future OF the seed bust
ness is yelled and must be solved b.
1 ~ SCI Vi AdEhA 1Ad0NA W
the intelligence and industry OF tn
man behind the gun.
The future OF the alfalfa industr
when grown for forage and fed Wit
oaT own corn rs rar reaching IA q
Importance 10 as all, for on IL depend
much of u future prosperity, the fer
tility OF our soil and the successful is
sue of many an agricultural enter
prise.
Alfalfa is now successfully grow
without irrigation in every count.
within the state of Nebraska. l hav
closely watched its development. an
in spite OF what others may think,
do not hesitate for a moment to sa,
there is not an acre of tillable Ian
within the borders of the semi-ari,
districts of Kansas, Colorado or Ne
braska. but what, with proper prepar
alton and the proper planting 10 tn
right kind of seed. can be made {
produce at least one ton of alfalfa ha,
- A 80 s~aso a 4 rNH