Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-07-17
stipation.

the correct cultural principles are
not complied with in preparing the
seed bed.
Men who have planned to get a
stand this fall by leaving their lard
bare with the hope of cultivating it
from time to time during the season
need little advice from us, because
that is really the ideal way of fitting
the land for alfalfa. 1t destroys the
annual weed seeds in the surface
soil, conserves moisture, firms the
lower soil, and ideally fits the seed
bed for the reception Of the seed, so
that termination is uniform, quick
and strong. On such soil, il the
seed is sown in August or during
the first part of September, the
chances of not getting a stand are,
in our opinion, very slight.
Turning now to the plan that
must be followed by the average
man who expects to SOW his alfalfa
seed this fall, we first recommend
that the stubble be plowed as soon
as possible after harvest. This is
necessary in order that full oppor-
tunity be given to work down the
soil into firm, yet friable condition.
Furthermore, it is absolutely useless
to pillow early unless one fully makes
up his mind to do the necessary
work on the surface at intervals Of
one week orten days. The harrow
for this purpose is an ideal nipple.
ment, though, of course il the weeds
start it may be necessary to use the
disk to some extent. An instance
was called to our attention where
Kansas farmer last fall narrowed a
certain field fourteen times after
blowing and before seeding, and yet
the report that he has to offer on his
success in getting a stand would in.
dictate that all his laborwas justified.
We insist that half-hearted methods
will not result in success in under,
taking to get stand Of alfalfa. and
the crop is SO valuable and lasts SO
many years after proper seeding
that one canwell afford to take the
necessary time to fit the land. AS to
time of seeding, we have said before
that best results are usually obtained
by sowing in August, though in the
southern half of the corn belt, seeding
may be done as late as the fifth or
tenth of September. Each man must
be his own Judge of local conditions,
the main object being to obtain a
fairly good growth before the ground
freezes. If the plants are small
when growth ceases in the fall they
are much more apt to be heaved ont
by the freezing and thawing of the
ground, while strong root system
will in most cases prevent the oc-
curence Of this. AS to the amount
of seed that should be used, there is
some difference exists in the practice
even of successful men. Ordinarily
twenty pounds per acre has been
recommended, but Professor Miller,
superintendent of institutes in Kan
sas, man who has taken special in
terest in propagating alfalfa doctrine
and one who has been successful in
growing the crop himself, makes the
claim that if the seed bed is right,
eight, ten, or at the outside, twelve
pounds of seed per acre is an ample
supply. Mr.. Miller says that the
reason twenty pounds has been SO
favorably recommended is because the
seed bed has not been properly pre-
pared for the reception Of the seed.
In his belief Professor Miller is sup
ported by Professor Ten Eyck, OF
the Kansas station, who also recon-
mends anywhere from eight to
twelve pounds per acre; but each
claims the seed should be sown with
a barrow seeder and half the guam
tity should be sown in one direction
and the balance in the other direc-
ton SO that not single foot Of land
will he missed.
When you undertake to grow al
falfa you must have an absolutely
perfect stand or the crop will al
ways be a sourse Of annoyance to you.
You will be trying to patch, the
weeds will come in on these bare
places, and altogether: you will pos
sibly become Disguised and give,up
the battle. Do the work properly
in the beginning, and if your land
is drained the chances are that the, Q
will be no difficulty in getting a