The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-05
TALKS ON ALFALFA
MEETING OF FARM
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 uniontown. July 4-tspeetal )--rns bisekbelt farmers from Ferry, Haie. Marsngo and Dallas Counties in large numbers met yesterday at the unitsd States Experiment. station on Geusrsl T. q. Munfofds piantation, which is under the management of Wiiiism haunford, who is conceded, to be the model farmer of the Cansbrake see- ton.
 The object of the gathering was . farmers institute and this model farm was an object lesson for those who had not yet learned the wondsrfu1 value and success of alfalfa in Alabama.
 The farmers were fortunate in having with them Prof. w J. Spfiiman. Chief of Division of Agricultural Depart ment in Washington and Pref. R. |. Wilson, native of Mississfppi. now engaged under Dr.Knapp in east Mss issippi and twelve counties of west Alabama in farmers cooperative dem onstration work.
 The nrst speaker was Professor Spillman who stated that three years ago after addressing an audience in Uniontown, Gen T. T. Munford came 70 him and offered fifty acres of land on his plantation for experimental work. which he accepted after General Mun- ford agreed to leave it's management entirely to his instructions. He said William Munford had carried out his instructions better than the managers of any of the forty-hve farms In the United States under government con trol and, as a consequence the success has been greatest and mostly satisfAc- tory.
 He said when he first saw the little patch at the State. Experiment Farm here he knew 1t would Dc success in this section. He started out by put ting the acreage on this farm two- thirds in alfalfa. and one- third in corn with the intention of rotating creps. He pastured on part of this large herd of Berkshire hogs. This alfalfa land. which originally would not make more than i've bushels of corn per acre made last year by eetual meas urement forty-four bushels per acre and 1t was estimated that the sauas land would this year make fifty or sixty bushels per acre, notwfthstanog ing the fact that 1t has come through q drought that has almost ruined other corn in this section.
 This corn is planted levei in checks and has only had one hoeina as # can be piowed three or four different ways. He called attention to q plat soweu March 18th in alfalfa from which. af- ter being grazed by the hogs, he cut the first time ton of the best hay and he would get three more cuttings If we mistake not this was two acfen of land. He called attention to tifA fact that at the meeting last year tha fastest and siickest team on the grounds was . pair of mules from the state Experiment. Station which had been fed on nothing but alfalfa Tor six monthA. Crab grass could be kept out of alfalfa. he says by narrowing with the Thomas snaoothing harrow. He says after narrowing the alfalfa would have ths appearances. Of being killed but that st would coma out ait right.
 MT. Munford's preference is to piow the land ln November and sow alfalfa in the spring. For Faif seeding iE should be aowad late in September or octoher. He stated that the best plan to get rid Of dodder was to cut tho atr falfa where doddar was found with & sharp knife and carry it out of the fiald and destroy II. He etataa that much Of the seed on the market waN badly infected with dodder. Where II gets in patches cut with a hoe rake and hmrn. Where stand is poor blow up and SOW over. AlabnFnaseand MS siasippi were the only sectfotla east or the Mississippi River, he said, where alfalfa could be grown successfully and the country would not pc over stocked if the farmers should grow one and a half million acres in alfalra as it would become the greatest stock raising country in the United States He said cattle could be raised cheaper here than anywhere else and that in three years the cattle uck could be exterminated,
 To get rid of ticks he Feeomnanesd three enclosed pastures, allowing cat tie eighteen days in each pasture. l After getting through third pasture ticks would be exterminated. He ad~ vised the following rotation of eraps; Follow cotton by corn. by oats tol- lowed by COW peas. After first pick 1 ing of cotton SOW in mid1lee burr clover, red or crimson clover or vefeh, All of these lsgumes must be inoeu- lated. The most expensive way te Inoculate ia to SOW three years in suc- cessiOn with the same seed but the osHt way was to take dirt from inoculakeA land and SOW over the crop. After this rotation the land will make from one to one and one-haif bales of cotton per acre.
 the natural course the boil weevia would reach this section in three years from next fall and in four years aE the outside.
 Able addresses were delivered by Professor Wilson, Hon. O. W. Under wood and Hon. J. A Wilkinson, Gem missioner of Agriculture.
 The iargs crowd enjoyed gunabo ana barbecued mutton, pork and kt6 thar had been prepared to suit the ta1tas of epicures