The Florida agriculturist., 1907-10-30
Alfalfa and Guinea Grass.

issued by the FlOTlQd ASIlCu4tuA dA AA-
pertinent Station, is timely, as this
month and next are the proper months
in which to plant the seed OF forage
grass OF wide cultivation in the North
and West, and, probably, adapted tor
culture in certain sections OF FLORIDA,
but not where the land is OF low, sandy
character, nor where the roots are
likely to meet with continuous moist
ure. Hence the sections where alfalfa
can be successfully grown as forage
crop are limited. Good fields are re-
ported as having been produced near
Dade City, Leesburg, Monticello and
DeFuniak. The bulletin, however, still
reports it as an experimental plant,
and as proof says that Hundreds OF
attempts have been made to secure a
good stand OF alfalfa, and to make the
held productive. In number OF cases
the experiment has been SO nearly Sue
cesSful that people have declared that
they had reached the successful point.
Up to the present, however, no field Of
alfalfa has yet succeeded in growing
through the second winter and pro-
ducing crop of hay during the ensuing
year. Numerous plots have been SOWn
and have produced an abundant crop OF
fine alfalfa hay, but these plots failed
completely either during the late fall
or early winter; SO that we can say
that the experiment has reached the
point where it has been almost success
tul, and yet not quite"
Alfalfa roots will go far down if con-
ditions are favorable. In the West, l
have seen them twenty feet below
ground surface. Given the right soil,
two to four tons per acre are not
unusual in the West. The bulletin con-
tinueS: "The best time to SOW alfalfa
in Florida is during the fall Of the year.
Just what time in the fall is best will
depend upon climatic conditions If
the soil is moist, and the heavy rains
have ceased to fall, any time during
October and the early part Of Novem-
Der will be proper. This will give the
plants sufficient time to make con-
siderable root growth before the Win
ter arrives. During the winter the
young plants will make only small
top growth, but the roots will pene-
trate more deeply into the soil and
produce good system before spring.
When the early spring rains begin it
will be necessary to remove any large
weeds or grass coming up in the field,
either by moving them off, or by hay
ing them hoed out.
Under favorable conditions, two or
three tons of hay may be made from
an acre. This hay, when we'll cured,
is worth at least $40 a ton. Consider
ing the value of alfalfa hay, it will pay
to sow fresh seed every year, even if
the plants should all die out the second
fall, as has been the case.
The twelfth annual meeting of the
American Association of Farmers In
stitute Workers, will be held the last
week Of this month, in Washington.
The membership seems to be mainly
from the North. note only Georgia,
North Carolina and Texas as having
membership in standing committees,
though the vice-president halls from
Alabama. In addition to the regular
reports from states and territories, the
programme includes discussions on
such subjects as the Farmers Library,
Field Institutes, their Method and
Value, the Woman Lecturer and Field
Demonstration Work The follow
ing are the officers: E. A. Burnett, of
Nebraska, president; c. A. Cary, of
Alabama, vice-president, and J. w.
Hamilton, of Washington City, secre-
tary and treasurer.
There are over five thousand varie-
ties of apples listed and described bv