The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1907-03-14
THE A, B, c OF
ALFALFA GROWING
Cultivation and Treatment of the First
Two Years Are Importantly r.
L. Bennett, Dir. Ark. Expert
n1ent Station.

There has come general and wide
spread interest in growing alfalfa, and
inquiries for information are numerous
from all sections. Alfalfa as hay
and pasture plant is worthy of all this
interest in it's growth, and because of
its excellence it is very necessary that
the first ones to attempt to grow the
plant be successful, for if they fail
others will not try it, and the cause
of alfalfa will be set back many years.
There are important conditions neces-
sary for succesS-these we have OBJ
served in our experiments, and they
will be briefly mentioned in this cir
cular.
The plant is perennial-grOws up
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 tip than base. Western grown seed
are better for sowing. as they are per-
laps more resistant 10 drought and
frcc2ir" than local or eastern grown
loot is perennlal-anQ from
,.~ 2 passes straight down into
tie suDs0l, and if not prevented by
. ). to eight feet and beyond.
the subsoil must be open or
lctrable, we'll drained, not water
soaked, and it must be fertile, since
a few inches of fertile top soil on
poor subsOil would be Of no value to al
falfa as the roots would be beneath it.
Therefore the subsOil must be fertile
and 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
off fnr bou in, A
with disc harrow or shallow cult
vator loosen the top two inches OF
soil Thoroughbred 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 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 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 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, il
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 tc
cut too close to the ground. Under ex
ira favorable conditions moving every
two weeks may be necessary. Ere
quent moving checks the growth Of
weeds and grass and causes alfalfa tt
| branch or multiply new stalks and in
crease it's vigor, and are essential, es
pecially if growing slowly. Whenever
the plants stop growing a clipping
will be beneficial.
The second year the same precau
ton in moving and clipping should bt
observed as during the first. But aftel
the second year, when well established
and a good root development, 1t !!
hardy, and crab grass and weeds cease
| to trouble.
Hogs may be grazed on alfalfa thu
first year, but not cattle. After frs
year if alfalfa shows less vigor ant
ground is packed, disking in fal
with a disc harrow will be necessar!
and will restore the vigor.
When few blooms appear over thu