Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-09-05
Alfalfa in Iowa.

1 we nave repeatedly calleQ the at
tention of our readers to the impor-
tance of growing alfalfa not only in
the semi-arid sections of South Da-
kota and Nebraska but also in the
humid regions of Iowa, Minnesota,
eastern Nebraska and southeastern
South Dakota. We have recon-
mended late summer seeding as the
best for sections south of line run
ming through Dubuque, Waterloo
and Sioux City. Although we have
become convinced during the past
two years that late summer seeding
is preferable to spring seeding even
in northern Iowa. By late summer
seeding we mean seeding during the
first half Of August. It is doubtful
whether it is desirable to SOW alfalfa
much after the 10Th of August, al
though in years of abundant mois-
ture good results might be secured
from seeding as late as the first of
September.
The Iowa Experiment Station has
recently issued bulletin of which
Prof. NJ. L. Bowman is author
which shows very clearly that the
results secured at Ames and else
where in the State of Iowa warrant
the station in strongly recommends
ing alfalfa for hay and hog pasture.
We quote the following with refer.
ence to alfalfa from the bulletin in
question: 1T can be successfully
grown in nearly all parts of Iowa.
1t will yield, in single season from
two to three times as much as clover
and timothy. 1t has high feeding
value. 1t enriches the soil" This
year the station cut the first crop of
alfalfa on the llth of June and Sc
cured yield of ZIG tons of hay per
acre. Prof. Bowman states in the
bulletin that whenever the soil has
been properly prepared for alfalfa
and good seed has been used that
Iowa farmers may expect an average
yield of from four to six tons per
acre, per year, That Alfalfa will
yield three crops per year and some
times four, but the fourth crop,
should not as rule be cut, but
rather be left standing in the field
to serve as winter protection.
In semi-arid regions or in irriga-
ted sections, alfalfa will continue to
produce for an almost indefinate
period. In humid sections as in
Iowa, for example, it is not desirable
to leave q field in alfalfa for more
than four or five years in succession,
because at the end of that time weeds
are apt to get strong foothold and
thus materially injure the stand. In
other words when an alfalfa field is
four years old in humid sections it
has usually reached its prime. Fur
thermore, alfalfa enriches the soil
more than any other leguminous
crop and hence the desirability from
that standpoint, if from no other, of
plowing up four or five-y -year-old fields
and of seeding down other land.
Where alfalfa is seeded during late
summer, it should be without
nurse crop. If however, it is to be
seeded in the spring we believe it is
desirable to seed it with nurse
crop, such as wheat, barley or early
oats. Whatever nurse crop is used
only one-half the usual quantity of
seed should be used per acre. Wheat
and barley are preferable to early
oats for the reason that they are the
least liable to lodge, although early
oats have been used very successfully
in many sections. We recommend
nurse crop for spring seeded alfal-
ia for the reason that in the absence
Of such crop, weeds spring up rap
idly, which necessitates clipping the
alfalfa several times throughout the
summer season. The soil may as
we'll produce light crop Of small
grain as to produce a crop of weeds.
This however, does not hold true in
the case of late summer seeding be-
cause if the seed bed is properly
prepared at that time of year weeds
will not bother to any extent. We
speak of late seeding of alfalfa at
this time, not because we recommend
seeding after this date, but because
we want to keep the alfalfa question
before our readers and if possible
show them why it is important to
begin now to get their land in shape
and be ready to SOW patch either
next spring or year hence. In pur-
chasing alfalfa seed bear in mind
that for the past few years there has
been an extraordinary demand for
seed. This demand has resulted in
some seedmen placing inferior seeds
on the market. Be very careful that
your alfalfa does not contain dodder
or other weed seeds. If you are un-
able to determine the purity of the
seed to your own satisfaction, send a
sample to the Agronomy Depart.
ment of your Experiment Station
No doubt they will examine the
. sample for you free of charge.
Alfalfa is not crop that will grow
t on poor soil; hence if you arc anx.
ious to secure a good stand, give
your land a good coat of manure
prior to seed bed preparation. Also
bear in mind that you cannot pre-
pare a seed bed for alfalfa too we'll