Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-03-31
GOVERNMENT EXPERT
TELLS Or ALFALFA
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Continued From Page One
put the and in good condition for alf-
alta. Land that has produced crop
of wheat, oats, or barley may be
plowed in the fall, cultivated thor
oughly in the spring, and the seed
sown with the land in apparently good
condition. However, study of the
results of farmers who have tried the
two methods leads to the conclusion
that, even where the rainfall is plen-
tiful, alfalfa will get a much better
start and begin to give satisfactory
yields much quicker if a cultivated
crop proceeds the alfalfa. If the
cultivated crop can not be grown, it
will pay to summer fallow, the object
of either being to terminate and kill
all weed seed in the surface of the
soil, retain moisture, and get the land
into good physical condition. Thor
ough cultivation is, therefore, essen
tial. In the early spring after sum-
mer following to growing the cult
waited crop, the land should be worked
down fine and put in the best possible
condition. Too much preparation of
the seed bed can not be given. AS
soon as danger of killing frost is over,
the soil should be cultivated again to
kill weeds and the seed sown imme-
diately.
SOWING THE SEED.
Repeated trials throughout the
country have demonstrated that it is
a waste of time and seed to SOW alfal-
ia with nurse crop. The grain
shades the alfalfa too much and robs it
of the moisture necessary to carry it
through the first summer. Ten to
fifteen pounds of good seed per acre is
usually sufficient. Seed that is pro-
duced in Eastern Oregon and Wash
ington should give better results than
seed that is shipped in from other To-
calities.
A very large majority of the alfalfa
seed sown in this country is sown
broadcast and covered with COMMON
tooth harrow. Perhaps the most sat
isfactory and economical way is to SOW
1T with common grain drill with
grass seeder attachment. For this
purpose seeders should be used that
are provided with tubes to carry the
seed into the hoes or beside the discs
of the drill. The seed will then all
be covered uniformly. In the dry To-
calities where there is little or no
danger of crusts forming on the sur
face of the soil, the drill should be set
to cover the seed ! 1-2 to 2 inches
deep. Near the mountains where the
rainfall is heavier and where crusts
are liable to form, the seed should not
be covered so deep. When all the
seed is covered the proper depth in this
way, much less is required than when
10 sour,
TREATMENT OF THE STAND.
If weeds are numerous and tend to
crowd out the alfalfa during the first
year. they should be mown often en-
ough to hold them in check. The cut
ter bar of the mower should be set
about five inches high in or der that
the young alfalfa plants may not be
cut too closely. If the weeds are
heavy and tend to smother out the alf-
alta they should be removed from the
field. If they are not numerous they
may be allowed to lie where cut.
The leaves and stems of alfalfa
sometimes turn yellow and the crop
then assumes a very unthrifty appear
ance. AS soon as this condition be-
gins to manifest itself, the field should
be mown Immediately, even though the
growth be very small. This will tend
to invigorate it and keep it in a grow
ing condition. If the growth is suffi-
cient the first season, it may be used
for either hay or pasture. But under
no circumstances should it be pastured
closely during the first year.
VIII, ~ LILLE :; -. - a, d.