The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-03-15
How to Sow Alfalfa.

Mr.. Charles A. Councilman, of Worth
ington Valley, one of the most successful
and enthusiastic growers of alfalfa in
Maryland, gives correspondent the bene-
lit OF his experience in response to the fol-
lowing letter
GLENwooD, March 5.
Mr.. Charles A. Councilman. Glyndon, Md.
My Dear SRI have read in the Sun from |
time to time your articles about alfalfa and |
want to try some. Will you please give me |
your advice as to the proper time of seeding
spring or fall-the best kind of preparation to |
make and what kind of ground to select for it ? |
| have a two-acre lot near my house in an
apple orchard six years old, which lays com
paratively level, that | would like to set this
spring if you would advise spring seeding and
think such piece of ground would be suita
BILE. HUMPHREY D. WOLFE.
81 prefer to SOW alfalfa seed about the
1st to the middle of August said Mr.
Councilman, 'sas at this time you avoid
many troublesome weeds that grow in early
summer on well-tilled land The young
alfalfa plant is as tender and delicate as a
young Matched turkey, but when once es-
tablished it as tough as an old gobbler. A
rank growth of weeds will choke out and
kill the young plant. l have had some
fine stands from spring sowing and will
SOW field of % acres the coming May.
"Alfalfa will grow on any kind of land
that is not springy and wet, and while it
loves moisture, it does not like wet feet
The most desirable soil is we'll drained
rolling field. 1t yields its greatest crops
in soils formed from decomposed limestone
or mari foundation.
''Do not SOW alfalfa in your orchard
1t is such rank feeder that it will take
up all the plant food and moisture in the
soil and will starve your trees to death.
Gas soon in the spring as the land is in
condition plow your ground, roll it and
spread broadcast from 30 to 40 bushels of
airslaked lime to the acre. Then harrow
down to fine seed bed and let it rest and
sprout what weed seed may be in the
ground. About the 10th to the middle of
May harrow and drill in 500 pounds to the
acre of 2-S-4 fertilizer Work the field
down to fine seed bed and SOW broadcast
500 pounds of alfalfa bacteria soil. Roll
the ground and SOW broadcast 30 pounds
of alfalfa seed and cover with a light
smoothing harrow or weeder, and let it
go.
''If you have favorable weather when
the alfalfa is to weeks old and comes
into bloom, cut and cure the hay. If, on
the other hand, the season is dry and your
alfalfa about the 1st of July begins to
show spots on the leaves and turns a sickly
yellow, do not let this discourage you. Run
your mower over it and let the clip remain
on the ground. In few days it will start
up and show healthy dark green color.
If you have a few seasonable rains in July
and August you can cut the last Of August
about one and half tons of hay to the
acre. Do not cut again during this season.
Let it GO into winter quarters with good
cover and keep all stock off the field.
The next year your crop is well estab
lished and will yield to 8 tons of hay and
give you four cuttings. You will find the
lime great benefit to the plant-in fact,
to all the legumes-as it renders the soil
more friable, easier to take moisture and
corrects any acidity of the soil, and such
condition enables the young plant to more
readily get its food.
''Your alfalfa bacteria soil you get from
an S-year-old alfalfa field. You simply
scrape up the dirt from around the old
plants that have plenty Of nodules on their
roots.
eff you cannot get the bacteria soil from
an old alfalfa field, you can use the soil
from the Bokhara clover--a rank growing
clover which stock will not eat. You find
it growing along the roads, railroads and
vacant lots. 1t has long white blossom
and is one of the rankest of the legume
family. The bacteria Of this plant and
the alfalfa plant are the same.
1.-The 2-S-4 fertilizer, which means 2
per cent nitrogen, s per cent. phosphoric
acid and 4 per cent. potash, you can buy
from any dealer in fertilizers. Buy it,
however, on guaranteed analysis, and be-
fore you SOW it draw a fair sample and
send it to the Agricultural College, and
have the college analyze it. If it does
not come up to the guaranteed analysis the
firm cannot compel you to pay for it. 1t
is the business of the Agricultural College
to protect you as we'll as all reliable iertl-
lizer firms.
''You should exercise great caution in
buying your alfalfa seed. The best seed,
even if higher in price, is always the cheap
est. I prefer my own seed, but as this Is
not always obtainable, 1 like either the
Utah, Kansas or Arizona seed.
''There is a great deal of French seed
on the market, but in France there is
disease like mildew, or fungus, that is
killing the young plants. [ have not as
yet seen any report from the agrostologlst
on the pathological side of the disease from
the Agricultural Department at Washing
ton. 1t is well, pending the investigation,
to observe caution.
s'The seed that l shall SOW on my
ground shall immerse in bath of warm
water temperature of 1869, like we do
barley and wheat to kill the smut germs,
and then dry it and thoroughly fan it, as
this takes out many undesirable weed seed
that may be in the purchased seed.
Reprieved in Nick Of Time.