Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-10-05
Cultivation of Alfalfa
Alfalfa may be seeded either fall

Alfalfa may be seeded either ia
OF. spring. Fall seeding may /
done any time after the 18th
September until the Isl of Octobe
and spring seeding from March l
to May lst, depending largely o
weather conditions and the eleva
ton above sea level. Alfalf
grows..well ON quite a variety o
soils, but prefers a porous on
through which its roots can easil.
penetrate. 1t Ia we'll adapted t.
river and creek bottoms that art
not subject to prolonged overflow
and though more difficult to estab
lish, it does we'll on stiff red clay
lands that have been made suffloi
emily rich and friable through deer
blowing and subsoiling, the turn
ing under of an occasional greer
crop or liberal top dressings Of
farmyard manure.
Land intended for alfalfa may be
summer fallowed or cropped with
cowpeas to rid he land of weeds,
for the young alfalfa plant is not
vigorous and weeds frequently de-
stroy it. Crab grass often chokes
out alfalfa, hence the advantage OF
seeding in the fall in many sections
of the South. A friable seed bed
should be prepared by frequent
and Thorough cultivation. This
point cannot be emphasized too
strongly. Top dress The soil with
500 to 1000 pounds Of lime per
acre. and ten days later apply 200
to 800 pounds Of high grade acid
phosphate and so to 100 pounds of
muriate of potash per acre. Broad
cast and work into the surface soil
with a harrow.
The soil may be inoculated by
artificial cultures or by an applica-
ton Of 200 to 400 pounds of soil
per acre from an old alfalfa field or
q field in which sweet cloyer has
grown for several years. From 16
to 20 pounds of we'll selected seed
should be used. Great care should
be taken to see that it is free from
weeds, dodder and trash. Dodder
may be taken out of alfalfa by
running it through a sieve 20
meshes to the inch. The seed may
be mixed with earth so as to in
sure it's being scattered uniformly
over the ground. 1t may be APP
piled broadcast or with grain drill
or barrow seeder. Early seeding
in the fall is advisable, and after
the alfalfa is well up, top dress
ing Of so to rs pounds of nitrate
of soda will often prove profitable.
A similar dressing after growth
has started in the spring is often
advisable on lands that are not well
with humus.
Fall sown alfalfa may be cut for
hay the next spring but should not
be pastured before the second sea-
son. Cut when just coming into
bloom. If sown in the spring fire.
quent clippings the first season are
adyiable. There is no crop that
can be grown on the farm more
valuable for hay, selling or pasture.
As alfalfa has been cultivated sue.
cessfully on small areas on many
Of our farms, there is no reason
why it's culture should not be ex-
tended. 1t certainly is a profitable
crop. 1t is not easy to establish,
but the mere fact that it produces
such rich, nutritious hay that can
be substituted within certain limits
for high priced concentrates in the
feeding Of Illuminating animals.
horses and poultry, makes it yalua-
BILE on the southern farm. BY all
means try small patch OF alfalfa.
Do not attempt too large an area
until you haye studied the needs Of
the plant and know how to treat
and manage your soil so as to in
sure its successful cultivation. The
Station will gladly send bulletins
and other information concerning
this crop to all farmers residing in
the State. Andrew M Soule,
Director.