The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1909-12-23
A NMfiillllionaire-MMak Mill
Alfalfa AS A Seed Crop and Fertilizer
Important Paper By Govern
ment Irrigation Expert.

realizing this value Of alfalfa This
is especially true in sugar beet dis
tricts and in the potato distric. of
Greely Colo. l can point out nulG-
erous instances where tae cr)ps this
year from alfalfa sod we.e d)lble
those raised on similar soils aIioin-
ing, on which alfalfa had never been
grown.
Alfalfa seed is now being produc-
ed in Idaho, upon nearly all classes
of soil but better yields are being
reported in most cases from the
more sandy soils. However there
seems to be no logical reason why
this should be so; the only reason
which suggests itself is that the al
falfa is usually thinner on the san
dier soils, caused by the difficulty
in securing a perfect stand thereon
And as thin stands usually produce
the most seed, the thin stand rather
than the quality of the soil is no
doubt the reason for the better yield
from such soils.
All seeds need air and plenty of
sunshine for their proper growth
Most farm crops such as wheat, oats,
timothy, etc, bear their seeds at the
top of the stalk where all can get
their supply of air and sun, even
where the plants are crowded togeth-
er in the field. But the habits of
growth of the alfalfa plant are diff
ferent, the greater per cent of its
seed pods are formed low down on
the sides and undernath the spread
of the plant where they can not get
their full quota of air and sun if
thick stands. For this reason the
alfalfa does not pod well where the
stand is thick, but produces a much
larger amount of seed in the thinner
stands where each plant has plenty
of room. The problem is not, how
many plants can we grow per acre,
but how many seed pods can we make
each plant produce.
In order to thin out their stands
sufficient for seed production, some
farmers have plowed alternate strips
through their fields, leaving strips
of uncut alfalfa from IL to 1S inches
wide between the burrows. The field
is then narrowed crosswise and is
over. This kills a sufficient
number of plants so that the seed
production is increased very mater
tally.
Alfalfa is usually cut for hay soon
after the blossoms begin to form and
as many times each season as the
weather forces it to that stage 1t
is particularly adapted for a hay
crop, as the small basal shoots, or
basal shoots, of the second growth
begin to form and shoot up around
he crown at this particular time.
If the hay is cut at the proper
line the mower clips the old stalks
hey are not disturbed. Now II the
;oil has plenty of moisture at this
ime, as it should have for hay pro-
iuction, these shoots being undis-
urbed will start to grow very rapid
Y and the next crop begins to come
IN, even while the hay is being
ured and stacked. Thus there Is
10 lost time or halt in the growth
fter cutting as there is with other
ay or as there would be with alfal-
a, if the hay had been let grow
i'll the basal shoots had grown so
ong that they would be clippedand
tunted by the mower. This is one
eason why more crops of alfalfa can
e grown than of any other hay by
areful observation one can tell by
he appearance of these shoots when
he hay is ready to cut.
Now with seed production this is
II reversed, as the blossoms appear
nd the seed pods begin to form, the
asal shoots also start and will con-
nue to grow and sap the strength
nat should be thrown into the seed
ods If there is too much water in
le soil at this time. This accounts
, a large extent for the failure OF
hose who say they irrigated too
uch. The soil must be dry enough
this period so that the second
rowth will not be forced. Alfalfa
eeds certain amount OF moisture
II seed production but not SO much
) for hay.
Some farms are underlaid with
ater at comparatively shallow