Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-10-11

cepting the magnificent mountain
scenery of Colorado, or of the Shen.
andoah valley of Virginia" Mr..
Smith said. s'IIere have looked
down upon fifteen hundred head of
hogs, not one Of which ever died of
cholera. i have taken these same
porkers from that alfalfa pasture at
SIX months. and after topping them
for ten or fifteen days on corn, sold
them at six cents per pound, each
porker weighing from 225 to $50
pounds. The hogs make their
growth from alfalfa alone, feeding
through the dense mass of it, almost
hidden from view. They disdain
all other feed, and answer the call
for grain with audacious grunts, or
go bounding over the purple heath
with their tails eurled in ringlets
over their backs"
The first seasons cutting Of alf.
alfa on Mr.. Smiths farm takes place
in April. The last cutting is usual
ly made in December. The lowest
number of cuttings is tour and some
seasons it is five or six The yield
for each cutting is never less than
one ton per acre. The price per ton
is never below $40 per ton and it
will average sl5 per ton.
In addition to the income derived
through pasturage and its sale for
forage one crop of seed is harvested.
The yield of seed is on low average
three bushels per acre. II sells for
10 cents per pound and at sixty
pounds to the bushel one acre will
bring a revenue Of Sls.
1t requires but little calculation TO
show that at an average yield OF
four tons per acre and at an average
, price of SIS per ton, the 400 acres
bring in an annual revenue Of Ss4,
3 900 from the sale of the forage crop
> while the seed crop of SIS per acre
D shows an additional revenue oi
$25, 2On, or a total of $lG9, 200. Ne
+ calculation is made of the amount
D of money received from the sale ol
e the hundreds of head of hogs, cattle
5 and other livestock that are fattenet
] upon the alfalfa pasture.
e MIR. Smith says that as pastur'
e and as forage plant alfalfa is with
. ont a rival. II is a leguminou
II plant which draws free nitrogen
h from the air, not only for Its owl
y supply, but fills the soil with it un
/ til, scientists say, one years growt
b leaves the soil enriched by about 81
4. per acre. In other words it woul
1. require the expenditure of that muc
| for fertilizers to put the soil IN th
70 condition that the alfalfa makes
N in one year.
le Mr.. Smith has tried the exper
he ment of pIowing mp small acreag
+. of alfalfa and planting the groun
At IN wheat and other crops. lie say
. that be found the soil greatly ei
,e riched and honeycombed with can
re like holes, ready TO receive and hol
70 moisture and in fine condition f
DO the reception of the roots Of 9TH
,r plants and trees. The wheat whie
re he planted upon the alfalfa grour
attracted WIDE attention for its gres
r. color and persistent growth.
a II ls never necessary to repla
is alfalfa, according to Mr. Smith. I
lc- says that if the growth is suitab
is started on land that is adapted to
ms culture 1t will continue TO prodn
ng big yields annually for an unlimit
ls length of time.
nd The ground for the first Plantnl
lp- should be thoroughly prepare
I'D Mr. Smith has the ground broke
lly and then sub-soils with a sub-soil
by to a depth Of from sixteen
he eighteen inches. drawn by six
his eight mules. A disk harrow is th
bat used, and this is followed by toe
ere harro~. He then drags the groa
ieh with a plank float The tinishi
ual touches are put on.sith q steel re
vs.. er which is used before and at