Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-08-31
Alfalfa.

Alfalfa IS prODaDly n Oh me most
Valuable plants for feeding live stock
that is grown in this country. There
are 50 many kinds Of grain, grasses
and legumes adopted to the soil and
climate Of Missouri that have supplied
our wants for feeding u live stock
and hence but little attention has
been given to growing alfalfa in this
State. However, IL has been grown In
a small way in nearly every section OF
the State, aud the area Is being
largely increased every year. 1t has
been demonstrated by the experiment
stations that a ton OF frst-class alfalfa
hay is almost equal In value to ton OF
bran for the purpose or feeding pigs |
calves, colts or lambs, OF for feeding
milk cows or breeding sows and ewes.
The dairymen OF the eastern states
have learned the great value Of alfalfa
and are feeding ground alfalfa hay
called alfalfa meal, in preference to
wheat bran.
Alfalfa may be produced In Mis-
souri, at a cost OF s. to &C per ton.
Bran usually cost from sl2 to ISIS per
ton. Thus 1t will be seen that there
is an enormous profit In growing
alfalfa 70 take place Of bran. In
addition TO this profit the land upon
which the alfalfa grows is richer in
nitrogen and will produce a much
heavier crop Of corn or wheat than
other land not growing alfalfa. The
Wyoming experiment station has
found that land previously in alfalfa
produced from IS to sl2 more value lin
wheat per acre and sl6 worth OF
potatoes more than land previously
cultivated in potatoes or grain. The
alfalfa was not turned under but was
taken of for hay for a period OF five
years.
Kind Of soil Eeecessdry While
alfalfa thrives best on an alkaline soil
full Of humus with a porous sub,soil
1t will produce fairly well on most Of
the we'll drained soils Of this State. 1t.
will not be profitable to SOW it on a
soil with a hardpan o. .impervious
clay sub-soil. 1t will not do well on
Land that is acid, this is, land the
farmers call SOU land, but the acid
soil II lit is well drained may be pre-
pared for alfalfa by sowing from 1000
to 1000 pounds Of pulyerized lime stone
per acre or about one half the amount
Of air Stacked lime IL is preferable
however, to use the ground lime stone
which may be brought at the mills for
about 81 per ton I. OBJ
Testing the Soil for Acidag-The
farmer can determine whether his
soil is acid by the litmus paper test
Buy five cents worth OF blue lltmus
paper from the drug store. Take a
small amount Of soil from the field,
put 1t In a saucer, moisten with rain
water to the consistency Of thick
paste, then with clean dry hands take
two or three strips Of the litmus paper,
after making an opening 10 the wet
soil with q knife insert n end OF the
lItmus paper in the opening and close
up the soil. After the paper remains
10 the soil for a few hours remove IL
carefully, wash OF the soil 4dhering
and il the blue paper has turned
decidedly red it indicates an acid con-
dition Of the soil and indicates the
needs Of lime. II the paper has not
turned red your soil probably does not
need lime.
Preparing the Soil for Soscing.-I
While good stands Of alfalfa have been
secured at different seasons from the
first Of April until the first Of
October, probably the safest time to
SOW is from August Is to September
20. The land should be thoroughly
plowed as II for wheat and IL would be
better 10 have the land plowed in
July. AS soon al IL has been plowed
IL should be thoroughly ~pulverized
and compacted as deep as II has been
plowed. Il is not sufficient TO work
with a light harrow and produce a
smooth surface on top. Be sure to
pulverize the soil with a e~ultivator or
disc harrow. drag or roller until a per-
feet seed bed is secured.
The next letter will treat OF the
incubation Of the soil, sowing the seed
and curing the hay. !
GEo. B. Ellis,
Secretary Board OF Agriculture.