The Elbert County tribune., 1908-02-27
GREAT BASIS OF AGRICULTURAL
WEALTH IN THE
WEST.
ITS MANY VARIED USES
ITS CULTIVATION DATES FAR
BACK OF THE CHRISTIAN
ERA.
(By I. D. odonnel. Billings, Mont3

I
the plant of particular interest to
every student of Western economical
conditions.
Alfalfa is as old as the hills. 1t has
been cultivated since cultivation and
was familiar to the Egyptians and the
Persians. 1t was known in Greece 450
B. G. The Romans esteemed 1t highly
as forage for the horses of their army
It's cultivation has been maintained
in Italy to the present time. From
Italy it was introduced into Spain, and
by them introduced into Mexico during
the Spanish invasion.
The Spaniard also took it to South
America where it now grows wild in
places.
From Chile it reached California in
1854. 1t rapidly spread eastward and
is now largely grown throughout the
humid as well as the arid states.
The Mormons took it up in thcsHarly
days and one of the maxims left by
the great colonizer, Brigham Young,
was TO plow deep and SOW alfalfa.
The secret of it's great success would
seem be in it's root penetrating
power; plants four or five months old
are known TO have roots five or six
feet long, and if there is amy moisture
the root will penetrate the hardest
hard-pan.
1t is common to find roots from
twelve to fifteen feet long, and F. ID.
Co<Irn, in his book on alfalfa, men
tions place in Colorado where an
alfalfa root was found at the depth
of 129 feet.
In Montana it will grow on most any
kind of soil, sandy loan being the
best, however. 1t will do well on
gumbo, On the highest bench land or
on the lowest river bottom. 1t will
come nearer making a crop on gravelly
land than any other plant.
1t is about the last crop to be killed
by alkali 1t will after once well set.
come nearer making a good crop with
out water than any-other one | know of.
On the other hand, it will stand more
water and oftener in the hot season
If properly put on and OFF than any
ether plant.
If a farmer does not care for hay, it
is a paying crop to let it go for seed
There is great demand for seed. You
can cut as much hay from one crop of
alfalfa as from any other hay, and still
raise crop of seed that is as valuable
as the average crop.
1t will produce from three to seven
tons to the acre.
It will produce from five to fifteer
bushels 20 the acre
1t is the nearest to balanced ration
of any crop grown.
1t has more protein than wheat bran.
1t will come nearer crowding out foul
weeds and grasses than any other
plant. Three hundred and sixty stalks
have been grown from one seed.
Unlike most any other plant it does
not exhaust the soil but enriches it;
cn Tt11I0b that grain Vial1S na1rlv
double where alfalfa is plowed up.
In the Greeley settlement in Colo
radofi and now in the Yellowstone,
they are plowing up alfalfa for winter
wheat and sugar beets, and they report
yields fully double that on soil where
alfalfa has not been sown
| The digestibility of alfalfa is changed
less by the process of curing than that
of any other forage plant But alfalfa
in the summer is as palatable to the
dairy 'ow as green grass. 1T contains
largely The succulent qualities of green
grass in June, keeping the digestive
organs open and active, and it has a
| cooling effect on the blood.
Fed to dairy COWS alfalfa maintains
the flow Of milk equal to June grass
for nearly a whole year. 1t can he
chopped as fine as wheat bran and
mixed with corn meal to form a bal
anced ration.
Such mixture is worth more pound
for pound than the original corn meal
Where alfalfa grows to perfection is
a cows paradise; such land is GER
tain to flow with milk and honey. :
1t is superior to white clover. sweet.
clover or buckwheat, and under favor
able conditions will give honey from
June to October.
-,
grain are willing to pay as much for
alfalfa fed sheep in the Yellowstone
as they ire for range sheep in st. Paul
or Omaha
They more than make up the differ
ence in price in the gain and quick
returns on grain after being fed on
alfalfa.
Alfalfa will grow one and two crops
on any land that will grow winter
wheat
1t is ground into meal and mixed
with corn, wheat oats or syrup to
make balanced ration for any kind
of stock, and finds ready market in
the East and sells at $40 to S25 per
ton.
Alfalfa in money value is worth 45
per cent more than clover and so per
cent more than timothy.
One acre will pasture 80 hogs for
six months. Ten milch cows can be
fed on less than two acres six months
by soiling. Three pounds makes full
feed for fattening calves
Thirty-fve pounds makes full feed
for fattening steers. lamb will win
ter and thrive on two pounds per day.
I Sheep fed on alfalfa will gain from.
eight to fifteen pounds in IS to 100
days. and double that with small grain
ration added.
Steers will put on pound to a
pound and and a half per day on
straight alfalfa. and IL fed grain
rations, will double that amount