The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-06-19
THE TIME TO CUT ALFALFA.

We do not need to give any instruc-
lions or suggestions to experienced al
falfa growers, h have by this time
learned that alfalfa is a rather tickle
maiden, and must be dealt With in the
right way II she is to be Won, says Wal
lace's Farmer. In the two thousand
Dr. more years in which alfalfa has
been grown as q forage crop she has
necessarily acquired some fixed habits.
She is an ancient maiden. Who has had
in fact somewhat cranky and. there
fore. must be studied II we are to get
along with her comfortably.
Alfalfa has been In the habit of hav-
ing her head cut off by moving dur
ing all these years, until the moving
thrift and vigor of the plant. 1t is not
worth while to try to change these
alfalfa habits. One of them is that
When the usual time for harvesting
the crop approaches 1t begins to pre-
pare for it as though it were q fore
the root, thus forming a crown. II
our readers cut their alfalfa before it
has prepared itself by throwing out
these buds or new shoots from the
root 1t will not do anything in the way
Of growth until 1t has time to start
of \ week or 10 days. Meanwhile weeds
and, therefore, If you cut your alfalfa
too early. you will inevitably have a
short crop following.
On the other hand, II you let it go
too late, the plant will throw its
strength to the shoots and the main
stalk will begin to crinkle down. 1t
will go on and produce seed, but all
alfalfa grower n that a seed crop
detracts very much from the crop that
is to follow. and for the reasons above
given.
We are speaking now to men who
nave a small acreage Of alfalfa, for
example. 10 acres OF less. Before cut
ting examine your field carefully and
see if there is a growth of from one
half inch to an inch of new plants
growth appears about the time that the
plant begins to bloom. Usually you can
find bloom started by the time these
buds start. but the buds are a safer
guide as to the time to cut than the
bloom.
two hundred acres Of alfalfa he must
commence at the earliest pos
sible n push things until he Is
through. He can probably better
stand 1t to injure the second crop on
the earliest cutting than to suffer in
jury from the latest cutting. Where
there is a large acreage Of alfalfa the
mower seldom stops more than a few
days between crops. for by the time
the first crop is fully harvested the
second is nearly ready for the mower
We do not offer advice to these people,
for we know by experience the prob
lens of those who have a couple of hun
dred acres OF alfalfa to cut
Another thing: There is a great
temptation where a man has a small
acreage of alfalfa, n especially If
corn is scarce, to NOW it and use 1T as
a soiling crop for pigs. We tried that
once, and with the following result:
The alfalfa that was cut when a foot
high and before it showed any signs
Of buds or bloom simply waited, just
as corn waits when it is blown down
about the time it is tasseiing out to
r%eadjust itself to the unexpected con-
dition of affairs. While it was wait
ing the weeds grew. n the result
was that we We're obliged to plow up
all that we had mown before h prop
er time. If you want to use alfalfa for
your hogs, put in enough hogs simply
to make paths through it and then
NOW as if there was not a hog on the
place. Study the nature Of the plant;
conform to it, but don't try to change