The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-06-06
TRY AN ACHE
of THE GREAT Hay MAKER AL
FALFA NEXT FALL.
Some Reasons Why Cur Farmers

Some Reasons W ny Vuf EdImeis
Should Try to Raise This
Wonderful Plant.
Without apology I again call the
attention Of the readers OF The Pro-
gressive Farmer to alfalfa, OF !ucern-s
IS forage crop and inproVer OF the
soil: also AZ a money crop says q. B.
Parker, In last weeks issue OF Farm
and Ranch the statement is made
that the first crop Of alfalfa hay is
now being rapidly sold In Texas az
from s12 to s14 per ton. When We
consider that they often get from five
to seven cuttings annually in that
State, making from three to i've tons
OF hay per acre, it is easy to under
stand why interest In the crop Is
growing there.
Alfalfa, being a lsgume, especially
recommends itself to Southern ag1.
culture, as all legumes do, because OF
It's power OF gathering nitrogen from
the air through the agency OF the
bacteria infestlng the nodules on its
roots, thus through these agencies
largely reducing the cost Of the ferti
lizers necessary to supply plant root
In our soils. Legumes open a vide
field for experiment. to our farmers
and cftsr to them great possibilities
In crop rotation and soil improve.
ment.
Interest In the crop In North Caro-
lima is increasing. Ten years ago the
plant was probably not known in more
than dcz5n counties in the State,
and by but a few persons In these
counties. while at this time 1t Is be-
ing tried in an experimental way In
probably half or more OF the counties
In the State. The same thing can be
said of all the territory in which The
Progressive Farmer circulates. In a
few years am confident the acreage
in those States will be very materially
increased. Many failures will be re-
corded in these first experiments and
quite number may qH,s the crop IN
disgust, bit enough will hold on and
prove that it can be proftably grown
to insure an increased acreage in the
near future. The changes that are
bound to come in our methods OF
farming will make it necessary to put
IN crops which will not require the
constant cultivation that many
Southern crops nov require.
To illustrate what can be accom-
plished BY perseverance,, will state
that quite number Of acres were put
in alfalfa near Goldsooro, N. c., last
spring, a few farmers putting In
several acres each. They had rain In
abundance and the grass and weeds
soon over. powered the alfalfa. Most
Of the experlmenters there have giVer
the crop up as unsuited to their lands,
therefore Improbable. Among the
experimeuters, however. was MI
John S. Davis, who put in about one
acre, prepared the land according to
directions Dy deep ploWirg, liberal
manuring and heavy lining. The
same fate that overlook the alfalfa OF
others overlook his also: The crop,
so far as alfalfa was concerned. was a
comparative failure, but he was not
discouraged to the point OF quitting
Ia August he replowed the land, OF
cut it with a cutaway harrow, and
resolved in alfalfa the first week in
September. The land was in fae
con lition, and within a very few days
hs had perfect stand. The alfaifa
continued to grow, and Mr. Davis
began to reap his reward the first OF
this month in magnificent crop OF
fine faifa hay. he said 1t averaged
two feet high, and from the, acre he
secured thres two. horse loads OF the
very finest hay. To be sure, 'one
swallow does not make spring." nor
does one experiment establish t.is;ing,
yet it makes one feel mighty good to
have things go nis way, especially
after an apparent failure, such as Mr
Davis had last year with his alfalfa.
I simply nsntion this to show ho 2
one may succeed with perseverance,
where with less persistence failure
would be charged up against him.
Some time since in talking ws5h an
alfalfa grower OF several years expert
ence, be said that spring is the time
to begin the preparation Of land In
tended to be put In alfalfa the coming
fall. He gave it as his experience
that al lands intended for Alfalfa
should be prepared several months in
advance OF the sowing so as to permit
the manure to thoroughly permeate
the soil and 20 through the changes
that seen to be necessary to secure a
good crop In view Of this, 1t will be
well for those contemplating putting
in alfalfa this fall to prepare the land
now by plowing we'll, macurine
liberally and lin irg heavily. ton to
the acre, and SOW In peas. In Angus:
cut the peas of and make hay Of
them; disc the land well OF plow shal
low and SOW inoculated seed. With
this management the chances will be
good to get q crop Of alfalfa next
sprirg, and others to follow.
There Is now b. tore me an exten.
sive report on alfalfa growing in Ne",
York in Ihicn eV:ry experiment
shows the value of lime. Without
single exception, the crop was heavier
where lime was used than where nc
lime was used. Line seems to In
crease the charcss tor successful in
cculation and the development OF the
necessary bacteria.
Unless land Is very fertile nr AHEAD!
contains bacteria reculiar to the altai
IA plant person naed not tx1tc5 to