The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1908-08-08
IN PRAISE OF ALFALFA
,. ID. Coburn. Secretary Of the Kan
saS Department Of Agriculture

Nm Alialia field is said to he n
hog idea ol heaven SO SAYS
Mt. t. ~. Cohurn, secretary OF
the Kansas Department OF Agri.
culture, ~ "A burst Of lyric rapture.
Mr.. Cnbutn has o national
fame Tor the glamour OF pocsV be-
has ,ist about some seemingly
prosaIc facts ui rural industry, and
his muse has never had n more
gracious theme than the roval
vegetable that has SO TAR SURPASSED
tn" mar who made two blades OF
grass grow where one grew before
that 1t makes two hogs grow where
before there was none. Farmers
III Cal. knew thirty years ago OF
the magic possibilities OF alfalfa,
til, Great Plains are making mp Tor
their later start by their present
zeal. Kansas IS nov the first OF
all til" States IN It's production.
Within her borders three quarters
ui a million acres OF sun.kisscd
alfalfa tempt the smiling hog.
Prosperity hung up her hat aud
settled down 10 stay about the time
when Hans Is farmers began to
show a proper appreciation oi this
divine plant. Alfalfa supplies an
apparent oversight OF Providence
by furnishing Just the elements
that other ioodstutis lack, aud so
IT puts a solid foundation under
the daiiy interests ol Kansas. 1t
Is tar superior to red clover rs n
soil restorcr, gives two or three
times as much nav per acre, and
IT, seed is often worth more than
hay. 1t IS "a meat maker, milk
maker, and money maker" 1T
makes poor land good and good
land better"
1t is the prcScrvcr and the con.
scrvcT oi the homestead. IL does
not tail from old age. II loves the
sunshine converting the SunhCamS
into gold ON IN the pockets oi the
thrifty husbandman.
Thus is answered the old qucs.
ton; What is the matter with
Kansas" Since the advent OF
alfalfa there has been nothing thu
matter with Kansas.
t.. +. Trigg, OF Rockford, Ia q,
has this 10 say concerning alfalfa
culture.
Where on" wishes to make Il
trial oi growing alfalfa the piece ol
land on which 1t rs grown SHOULD
be- pat IN the best OF tllth, rs Tor 4
hip crop oi corn, and enriched
with several loads ui stable manui,
per acre. Alfalfa is like mos'
other members al the clover iamIl\
~ that II does not do we'll on poor
" drained or wet soil. For lat,
summer sowing the seed should
be- put IN not later than August Is
at thu rate oil twenty to thirty
pound per acre. The lrpumc viii
am a loothold the more readily ii
some soll from an old alfalfa field
Is put III the land with the manur,
with winch 1t Is i,rillizrd. Whcr,
no such hrld Is IN reach soil from a
spot where sweet clover has growr
will answer the same purpose.
The advantage oil late summer
sowing OF alfalfa lies IN the tact
that most OF the weed seeds in the
soul have IN all probability been
terminated and destroyed, Will,
those that do sprout will he held
in check 10y the dry weather which
usually prevails nj that time OF
wear. Onc OF the greatest handl.
caps IN getting n start in alfalfa IN
some localities IS the pest OF grass.
hoppcrs, which are SO destructive
TO the Young alfalfa plants in some
seasons that It is useless to At.
tempt starting n patch unless poul.
tr\ has "A tree run oil the farm.