The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-06-08
TRY AN ACRE
OF THE GssEhC H " mAKEH All.
FALEA MIX FaEF.
Some Reasons Why Our Farmers
Should Try to Raise This
Wonderful Plant.

AS ~
gressive Farmer to alfalfa, or luoerno
as Q forage crop and improver, of th,
coll; also az a money crop says II. B
Parker, In last weeks issue Of Farm
and Ranch the statement is mad,
that the first crop Of alfalfa hay !,
DOW being rapidly sold In Texas a
from $l2 to S14 per ton. When W,
consider that they often get from fly,
TO seven cuttings annually in tina
state, making from three to five tom
Oh nay per acre, 1t is easy to under
stand why interest In the crop IL
growing there.
Alfalfa, being a legume, especially
rec 7mmends itself TO Southern sgt i
culture, as all legumes do, because OF
lts power Of gathering nitrogen from
the air through the agency of the
bacteria infesting the nodules on It's
roots, thus through these agencies
largely reducing the cost Of the ferti
lizers necessary to supply plant ROOF
In u soils. Legumes open a wide
field for experiment to our farmers
and offer to them great possibilities
In crop rotation and soil improve.
ment.
Interest in the crop In North Caro-.
INA Is increasing. Ter years ago the
plant was probably not known in more
than q dozan counties In the State.
ana by but a. few persons in those
counties, while at this time 1t Ia be.
Ing tried In an experimental way in
probably half or more Of the counties
In the State. The same thing can be
laid 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 a number may quit the crop in
disgust, but enough will hold on and
prove that 1t can be p%roftably grown
to insure an increased acreage In the
near future. The changes that are
bound to come in our methods of
farming will make 1t necessary to put
IN crops which will not require the
constant cultivation that many
Southern crops no require.
To illustrate what q be accom-.
plished by perse verance, l will state
That quite a number of acres were put
IN alfalfa near Goldsboro, N. c., last
spring, a few farmers putting in
several acres each. They had rain In
abundance and the grass aud weeds
soon over. powered the alfalfa. Most
or the experimenters there have given
the crop up as %unsuited to their lands,
therefore Improbable. Among tho
experimenters, however, was Mr.
John S. Davis, who put In about one
acre, prepared the land according to
directions by deep plowirg, liberal
manuring and heavy lining. The
same fate that overlook the alfalfa OF
others overlook his also. The crop,
far as alfalfa vas concerned, was a
comparative failure, but he was not
discouraged to the point of quitting
In August he replowed the land, or
cut 1T with a cutaway harrow, and
resolved In alfalfa the first week in
The land was In fne
and within q very few DAYS
he bad q perfect stand. The alfalfa
continued to grow, and Mr.. Davis
began to reap his reward the first OF
this month In q magnificent crop OF
hne Italia hay. He said IL averaged
two feet high, and FROM the acre he
secured three two. horse loads OF the
very finest hay. To be sure, one
swallow does not make q spring." no
does M experiment establish q thing,
yet 1t makes n feel mighty good to
things go his way, especially
after an apparent failure. such as Mr.
Davis had last year with his alfalfa.
l simply mentlon this to show no 2
one may succeed with perseverance,,
where with less persistence failure
would be charged up against him.
Some time since In talking with an
alfalfa grower OF several years expert.
ence, he said that spring Ia the time
begin the preparation Of land in
tended to be put In alfalfa the coming
fall, He gave 1T as his experience
that all lands intended for alfalfa
should be prepared several months in
advance of the sowing 30 as to permit
me n to thoroughly perncate
soil and go through the CHANGES
seem to be necessary to secure a
sood crop In view OF this, it will be
yell FOR those contemplating putting |
n alfalfa this fall to prepare the land
low by blowing we'll, mauuring
literally and lin ir heavily. a ton to
he acre, and SOW I'm peas. La Aupust
nut the peas OFF and maze hay OF
hem; disc the land we'll or plow shal
ow and SOW lnoculated seed. With
'his management the chances will be
GOD to get a crop Of alfalfa next
prjng, and Others to follow.
There Is now before me an extern.
I've report on alfalfa growing in New
lork In whicn ev ~ experiment
the value Ct lime. Without q
exception, the crop was heavier
mere lime was uSed than where no
me was used. Lime seems to in
rease the chances Tor successful III.
culation and the development OF the
ocessary bacteria.
Unless laad Ia very fertile or already
ontains bacteria peculiar TO the altai
q plant a person need not fxD,ct to
row alfalfa without i%noculation,
has been thoroughly demon
Notwithstanding the mauy
ailures that have be:n reported from
ne cultures" sent out from Wash.
lgton, q d from those b ught from
manufacturers. | have great faith IN
In passing, l will say these
cultures are not now sent out from
government on dry cotton 81
'rmerly, but In q liquid form, there
y lnsuring greater SUCCESS in their
SO. l bave faith in the cultures"