The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-06-01
SOUTHERN
AGRICULTURE
ALFALFA THE BEST PAYING.
Adds Nitrogen to the Soil and Makes
IL More Fertile.

The interest in this plant, not only
in the western states and in the fer
tile section of the north, but all over
the south, is so great that everybody
who has had any experience with it
is simply flooded for information as to
its value, the proper method for grow
ing it, and its practicability. For this
reason the writer wishes to give
very brief talk on the subject, hoping
that it may be helpful to some. Here
wish to tell something of its value,
and the practicability of growing 1t
| in any state in the Union.
Briefly, think that there is no state
where it may not be grown, nor where
| 1t will not pay as well or better than
| almost any other farm crop.
During a recent trip through the
south | was greatly impressed with
| the possibilities for money making. in
| a great many ways, and one OF the
principal ones through this plant. All
| over the southern states there is land,
| much of ii naturally drained and on
| limestone soil, that today may be
bought for from S. to $50 per acre.
Much of the cheapest of it Is on lime
stone soil, and is even now growing
as much or more alfalfa than in Ohio,
that we can grow on our 800 land.
The market for the hay was even
better than we have. AS a single in
stance a friend, ]. Innes Thornton, OF
Watsonia, Ala, has 200 acres in a
body that averages him four tons per
acre, as well as we can do here, and
he secures S14 per ton for the hay,
with no tr BILE at all to find a mar.
ket. This year the hay is worth much
more, but the average is from $13 to
$14 The land that this is grown in i:
anything but high priced, even at 500
per acre it will nearly pay for itself
each year, and to my mind is really
worth a good deal over 800 per acre
Does this possibility suggest anything
to you; When this cheap land can be
made to produce in this way, more
than paying for itself, may be, eacf
: year, is there not a good prospec
for prosperity, spelled with capital
J | Probably / need not mention. the fac
; that whereas cotton, tobacco, corn
or any grain exhausts the soil. ant
compels the heavy use of fertilizers
} alfalfa adds nitrogen to the soil, an
. | gradually makes it more and NOR
) fertile, the longer it is left in tn
= more fertile the soil becomes. Probs
4 bly, | do not need to mention, either
:, that while any other kind of meado'
a requires renewing every few years
Q the best, alfalfa should not be plowe
o up oftener than once in from six I
l. twenty years.
n A word as to its feeding value.
d analyses practically as rich as be:
l. wheat bran. BY the analysis it
worth much more per ton than an
:. other grass or clover, excepting tn
little white clover, which is not C,
for hay. Furthermore, it is very pal
table. so much so that cattle wi
leave corn to eat it. Men who ha,
=, fed large quantities of the other cl
yers and different sorts of hay, |
GLIDING ourselves, consider one ton
alfalfa hay worth at least half mo
= than any other form of hay found
the United States. This applies whet
!. er fed to cattle, horses, sheep, swil
- or poultry. For pasture we do not re
ommend it, except for horses a.
= hogs. Where it is easy to grow '
; consider it a bonanza, and where
:. is difficult to grow we think it wor
any amount of work in making &C
| ditions nrooer so that il will Succet
-Chas. B. Wing, Champaign Co., Oh