The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-07-22
PLANT ALFALFA.
This is the Year Decatur County
Farmers Should Plant Some
Land to Alfalfa.

In view of the fact that the many
floods and heavy rains this spring will
result in big shortage in crops of all
kinds in Decatur county, why would not
this be good year to start growing a
field of alfalfa on your farm.
Prof. M. L. Bowman, professor of farm
crops at the State College at Ames, has
just issued pamphlet giving full in
structioDs as to how to prepare the
ground and seed to alfalfa, and he rec.
ommends that farmers in all parts OF
the state plant it. We reprint the pam
phlet in full and ask our farmer friends
to carefully read the article.
This crop is of the greatest I'M
portance to the Iowa farmer and is
certain to become one of the common
crops of this state for the following
reasons:
1. 1t can be successfully grown in
practically all parts OF the state.
2. 1t will yield in single season
from two to three times as much as
clover and timothy.
8. 1t has high feeding value.
4. 1t enriches the soil.
YIELD.
Alfalfa yields heavily. Three cut
tings may be expected in this state in a
single season, and frequently fourth
cutting.
The college has had marked success
at all times when alfalfa was seeded at
the right time of the year and the
ground properly prepared. The first
cutting this year, made June 18th,
yielded on the average Of 2.s1 tons per
acre. Not less than two more cuttings
will be had this year. Ii alfalfa is prop
erly seeded the Iowa farmer may de-
pend upon from four to six tons of hay
per acre annually.
ADDS FERTILITY TO THE SOIL.
All legumes have the property of tax
ing free nitrogen from the air and
Transforming it into available plant
food by means of organisms which grow
upon the roots, forming tubercles. AL
falfa is especially valuable from this
standpoint. It's roots contain high
percentage of nitrogen which becomes
readily available for the following crops
when the alfalfa ground is broken up.
ALFALFA IN A ROTATION.
Except in special cases it is not de-
sirable to keep alfalfa more than four or
five years in one place, for the follow
ing reasons:
1. In this region alfalfa is at it's best
about the third or fourth year. After
this it is very likely. to deteriorate
This will not apply to the semi-arid re-
gions. There the alfalfa, sending it's
roots deep into the soil makes a good
growth and manages to keep ahead of
the weeds and grasses which will not
thrive so we'll without the aid of sutii-
Gent surface water. Conditions are
different in Iowa. We have more sur
face water which will aid the blue
grass and weeds in getting foothold
by the time the field has been in alfalfa
for four or five years. And while at
this age, and later, the field will yield
very profitable returns, it will be on
the decline, and it is therefore best tic
pillow it up and seed down another piece
2. From the standpoint of rotation
of crops it is not desirable to keep a
field in alfalfa for more than four or five
years. 1t will then furnish a piece of
ground for the growing of corn while
another portion of the farm should have
been prepared and seeded to alfalfa.
Better results in each case may then be
expected.
PREPARING THE GROUND.
Ground which has grown crop Of
oats, barley or wheat is generally used
| The grain should be removed from the
field as soon as possible and an applica
tion of from s to 10 loads of we'll rotteo
manure to the acre be added immediate
ly. 1t should than be diseed thorough
ly, tapping disc half, plowed, discee
again, than narrowed and let lie unit
the 5th to 10th of August, when il
should be disced, narrowed and seeded
The small grain should either be
threshed or hauled from the field anc
stacked as soon as the grain is ready in
order that the ground may be plowed
By 80 doing the ground will, under or
binary conditions, collect ample mois
ture by August 10th so that the seeG
will germinate rapidly.
TOP DRESSING.
When ten acres or more are to be pu
into alfalfa it is often found quite diff
ficult to prepare the ground as abov,
stated and have it ready at the prope
time for seeding, due especially to tn,
ure. Very favorable results, are being
secured where the ground is prepared
as stated above with the exception o
| dOuluEs Uuo ulduurc. 1uou pun Ill Tue
seed and wait until along in the white
when 8 to 10 manure spreader loads O
manure are added per acre in the way
of top dressing. Care should be takel
that no more land be put into alfalf
than can be thoroughly MANFRED, 70
only by SO doing have we been able t.
secure the most favorable returns.
TIME OF SEEDING.
The best results may generally be ex
pected from seeding in late summer
The term "fall seeding of alfalfa" i
commonly used, but this is imprope
ard misleading. 1t should be spoken o
as late summer seeding. Alfalfa sow
in the fall is very sure to meet wit
failure. 1t should be seeded not late
than the 9Th to 18th of August. If seed
ing takes place in the fall, the alfalf
plants will not have made sufficien
growth to Withstand the winter
Alfalfa should not be pastured the frs
season. The growth from seeding tim
until winter sets in should be to
ipchaa and ahOu1d ho loft nm tho rroun