East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-03-28
GROWING ALFALFA.
GOVERNMENT EXPERT
GIVES HIS EXPERIENCE.
Chief Forage Crop of Eastern Oregon
and Neutrality-suspicious. Does Not
Attain Its Best Period Until Third
Year-Land Should BE Plowed, Al
falfa Should BE Drilled and No
Nurse" Crop Should BE Sown.

The successful cultivation of alfalfa
in the inland empire on what are
known as dry or wheat land Is now
attracting much attention in the
farming communities. Professor By
ron Hunter, assistant agriculturist of
the u. S. department of agriculture,
stationed at Pullman, Wash, has is
sued the following interesting article
on the subject:
Alfalfa is now generally recognized
as the most satisfactory hay and past
ure plant that has been grown on the
dry lands of eastern oregon and
Washington.
on such land 1t does not reach its
highest development until about the
third year, since it takes some time
for the root system to develop suffi-
cently to take up the required
moisture for the plant, Therefore,
little must be expected from it the
first year.
Whe Improperly sown and cared for,
fair crop of hay may be expected the
second year. Since alfalfa does not
give its largest returns for two or
three years 1t should be sown with the
| expectation of allowing it to occupy
the ground for a number of years.
The success of alfalfa in this region
depends largely on the preparation OF
the soil, the method of seeding and
the care Of the stand. The writer has
spent considerable time in studying
the methods of the farmers most sue
| ntf 10.
rigation in this region and what is
said in this article is based almost
entirely upon this study.
Preparation of the Soil.
The ground selected for alfalfa
should be as free as possible from
weeds and in perfect tilth. In all To-
calities where the rainfall is not suf
ficient to grow wheat without summer
following every other year, the lane
should be plowed deep in the fall
winter or early spring. 1t should b'
thoroughly cultivated during TIL,
spring and summer to kill weeds, re
tain moisture, and put the soil in gooC
tilth.
In such localities the subsoil o
new land is comparatively dry whel
compared with the subsoil of the sam
kind of land that has been farmed 70
a number OF years. Alfalfa is a dee
feeder and requires plenty of moist
ure for its best development.
1t is very essential therefore. tina
land be selected that has produced
number of crops to be sure that ther
is plenty of moisture in the subsoil t
Iro ti,n ,1nt erl, 1,
first dry summer
Sowing the Seed.
Repeated trials throughout tn
country have demonstrated that
. is a waste of time and seed to so,
} alfalfa with a nurse crop. The graf
shades the alfalfa too much and rob
1t of the moisture necessary to carr
it through the first summer. Ten I
? 10 pounds of good seed per acre
, usually sufficient. Seed that is pro
duced In eastern Oregon and Wash
. ington should give better results tina
: seed shipped in from other localitie:
A very large majority of the alfalf
seed sown in this country is SOW
broadcast and covered with a commo
! tooth harrow. Perhaps the most sat
isfactory and economical way is
: SOW it with n common grain drill wit
a grass seeder attachment For thi
Z purpose seeders should be used tina
t are provided with tubes to carry tn
: seed into the hoes or beside the die
}. of the drill. The seed will then all b
. covered uniformly.
= In the dry localities where there
a little or no danger of crusts formin
on the surface of the soil the dri
should be set to cover the seed fror
!, 1 u to 2 inches deep. Near tn
. mountains where the rainfall is heaN
Ter and where crusts are liable
I form the seed should not be covere
D so deep. When all of the seed is COY
a cred the proper depth in this wa.
, much less is required than when 1t
sown broadcast.