The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-10
ALFALFA
Results Obtained At the Colorado Ex-
pertinent Station.
By Prof. w. P. Headden.


soils which are not too wet. In some
sections 1t is short lived due to win
ter killing, but have seen fine alfalfa.
on good soil with a favorable aspect, at
an altitude OF nearly 5000 feet. The al
titude ut which 1t will do we'll varies
with location and other conditions. II
Is safe to assume that 1t will require
from twenty to twenty-four inches OF
water TO the acre TO grow the three
crops usually cut in this state.
The first cutting is usually made be-
tween early bloom and half bloom 1t
is not SO common to let II stand till the
plant is in full bloom as it was at one
time. If the weather is favorable the
first cutting is made as early as possi-
BILE TO give a longer season for the
growing of the second and third cut
tings. Some regard is also had for the
purposes for which the hay is to be
used. believe that the best hay for
feeding purposes is obtained by cutting
when the plant is In full bloom, but it
is the general practice to cut 1t In early
bloom.
AS soon as alfalfa passes the stage
of full bloom there Is decided fall in
the amount of proteids present, the
same is true OF the nitrogen free ex-
tract. The loss of proteids amounts
to about 2.5 per cent. of the weight OF
the hay and the proteids are accord
ing to the results obtained by artificial
digestion less digestible than at either
early. half or full bloom.
That there are differences in the hay
from season to season, within compar-
atively narrow limits, of course, due to
the distribution of rainfall and varia-
tions in temperature, Is fact gener-
lixrr zad \ do. frfr n, lea
ries of samples taken over a period of
three years and representing hay
grown on four different soils, that the
composition of the first cutting is prac-
tically constant, while that of the sec
ond and third cuttings Is much less so,
and in the latter we probably find the
maximum variation that can resason
ably be attributed to the differences in
the seasons. These differences amount
to three per cent for the crude protein,
eight per cent. for the crude fibre and
about three and half per cent. for the
nitrogen free extract.
In cases where the alfalfa has been
cut and left in the swath, light rain
or even a heavy dew produces dis
coloration. The hay has light yellow
ish brown color and in general
bleached appearance. The amount OF
INJURY luulCdleu ny tHiS COioi uOubt-
lessly varies greatly and there is va
riety of opinion about the value OF
such law In one instance in which
some alfalfa was cut and. owing to a
succession Of showers, was not stacked
till thirteen days later. we found very
considerable changes, but we were not
able to determine the total changes,
for we were unable to determine the
mechanical liss in the weight of the
hay. The differences shown by the
analyses of samples taken as the hay
was cut, and of others taken as 1t was
stacked, showed loss of more than
one-third of the crude protein and one
seventh of nitrogen free extract, ac-
companied by very decided increase
in the crude fibre, the percentage
found in the injured hay being about
twelve per cent higher than in the
uninjued sample. The amount OF rain
fall was about one and three-fourths
inches. Experiment shows that tepid
water will dissolve 1000 per cent. out
of first class, third cutting alfalfa hay;
further, fermentation sets in readily.
These properties readily explain the
fact that alfalfa is very sensitive to
moisture. The remaining hay may still
be good hay, though It's color is not in
viting. There may, however, have
been a big loss, the remaining hay
weighing possibly only little more
than six-tenths as much as should have
been gathered, from the crop as cut
| not reckoning any mechanical loss,
which will certainly have taken place.
The general custom in this part OF
Colorado Is to rake the alfalfa into
windrows as soon after cutting as is at
| all advisable, and complete the neces-
sary curing in windrow or cock as the
| case may be. This practice is the re-
suit OF the observed loss of leaves and
breaking OF OF small stems in raking
and handling, II allowed to over cure
in the swath. The loss, that is, the
leaves and stems which fall or are
broken, amounts under favorable Cir
cumstances, to about one-fifth of the
crop, and can If 1t is necessary to re-
peatedly handle the hay, amount to
as much as. two-thirds of the crop,
which, of course. remains on the
ground to enrich 1t.
The amount or weight of hay gath
cred compared to that Of the green al
falfa varies within comparatively mar
row limits. With us 100 pounds of first
cutting alfalfa gives about twenty
seven pounds of hay, and 100 pounds OF
second cutting gives about twenty
nine pounds. These figures do not
agree at all with figures obtained for
other states. The amount of hay OBJ
tanned from 100 pounds of the green al
falfa, cut from early bloom to full
bloom, has an extreme range Of about
four pounds This is the case with the
first and second cuttings.
Our average rainfall may be taken at
fourteen and one-half inches. In addi-
ton to this it requires from six to eight
inches of water per acre to grow the
three crops usually cut In this section.
Alfalfa is a deep-rooted plant and Will
live when once established on high
land even. with the addition of small
amount of water, but it needs the above