Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1907-12-19
THE A, B, c OF
ALFALFA GROWING
cultivation and Treatment Of the First
TWO Years Are lmportant-ey r,
l. Bennett, Dir. Ark. Expert.
nnent Station,

! spread interest in growing alfalfa and
| inquiries for information are numerous
from all sections. Alfalfa as q hay
and pasture plant is worthy of all this
interest in its growth, and because of
its excellence it is very necessary that
| the nfst ones to attempt to grow the
plant be successful. for if they fail
others VIII not try it, and the cause
OF alfalfa VIII be set back many wears.
There are important conditions neces.
sary for success-these we have oh.
served i'll our experiments. and they
will be briefly mentioned in this cir.
cular
The plant is perennial-grows I'M.
right, and is resistant to both cold
and drought. The seed. are kidney
shape. rather thin, and about one.
twelfth inch long. The leaf is broader
at mp than base. Western grown seed
are better for sowing, as they are per.
haps more resistant 20 drought and
freczins than local or eastern grown
seed. ii nc root is perennial-and from
'hr Gown passes straight down into
me subsoll, and If not prevented by
rocks, TO eight feet and beyond.
Fence the subsoil must be open or
l'"hetraDle, we'll drained, not water
{ soaked, and 1t must be fertile, since
lew inches of fertile top soil on a
poor subsoil would be of no value to al
1alfa, as the roots would be beneath it.
therefore the subsoil must be fertile
ana well drained, or alfalfa will fail
absolutely.
AS alfalfa grows up and is moved
or grazed the crown sends up new
stalks. From this fact it follows that
grazing should never be clean, nor the
stalk cut at the ground
The time to SOW in the milder eli.
mates is August Is to October is. 1t
can be sown in spring but not as adj
vantageously. because when fall sown
it comes up and makes good root
and top growth before cold checks the
growth. Then in March it begins
rapid growth and attains considerable
height and covers the ground before
crab grass and other weeds start.
Then. also, the root. growth is suffi-
GENTLY deep to withstand any ordinary
summer drought. but at planting there
should be enough water in soil to
bring up the seed.
The best preparation of soil is to
SOW cowpeas broadcast on soil in
spring. cut off for hay in August, then
with disc harrow or shallow cult
vator loosen the top two inches of
soil thoroughly-not deeper than three
inches-smooth with tooth harrow,
and SOW the seed at the rate of 20
pounds per acre. Cover with tooth
harrow and then roll the ground; then
brush off the surface with a brush
drawn by horses. This to prevent
rapid drying out of soil after rolling.
Seed covered one to two inches is
about right; the latter If soil is rather
dry or open. If the seed are known
to be all good and the soil in prime,
moist condition. Is pounds of seed is
sufficient. The terminating power of
seed can be tested by placing a few
between wet cloth with one end or
corner resting in water to maintain
saturation. If a heavy rain occurs
Immediately after sowing and hard,
dry crust forms, this may be broken
with a light tooth harrow, or roller,
even if seed are sprouting. They are
too weak to break through a hard
crust.
The first summer is the critical time
in the life OF alfalfa. Moving must be
done, and done often, without waiting
for blooms to appear. Cut when eight
to- ten inches high-or oftener, If
weeds and grass are growing and al
falfa is not. Cut at this stage the
growth and vigor of the plants have
not been checked by efforts to form
or make seed Seed making is very
exhausting on the entire plant, and
when permitted to bloom or form seed
before moving the vitality of the plants
is largely subdued for the season, and
crab grass and weeds then get in their
good work of determination. The
sickle bar should be raised so as not to
cut too close to the ground. Under eX-
IRA favorable condiHons moving every
two weeks may be necessary. Ere.
quent moving checks the growth of
needs and grass and causes alfalfa to
'ranch or multiply new stalks and in
crease its visor. and are essential, es-
peclallN if growing slowly. Whenever
the plants stop growing clipping
Will be beneficial
IN" second year the same precau-
'ioh IN moving and clipping should be
observed as during the first. But after
d Tie second year. when we'll established
and a good root development, it is
= hardy, and crab grass and weeds cease
10 tinuhlc
Hogs may be glazcl on alfalfa the
~ hfs' year. hat not cattle. After first
- year II alfalfa shows less viyor and
/" ground is packed. a disliny in fa,,
- Win disc harrow will be necessary.
ana VIII restore the vigur
When a few blooms appear ove,. the
ne'" Is 'hr proper stage .or bcs, hav
10Y all stock. except perhaps wm.,,
lie STOCK. In than case a lilil,, Inter is
ut ne''rI, 'jAi Not bette. for ,l,u yj"nr nj
eft me alfalfa Il should bc raNe1 jrtc
10 "ihd-ioMs and then into cocks ,hnn
er. stored. little sail aids IL. prcsar, in.
on the hay il Yet a li,,.e uncuro, w,,n,
stored Nil spaces u4Gel The ha,. and
through, ii ar" uiyanin.pou. n mo-, ,nr
4 fecrlN cured VIXEN stored.
Affair hay IS valuable for anl j..
relished by all stock Ii is a rich h,v
and stock require less grain than who,
fed grass hay. For hog pas,ur, ,,,,,
ia is superior t" every other plant