The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-01-21
Farm Notes
ri cRoP.

Those who have lslowan alfalfa longest
and best are the ones everywhere who es-
TEEN 1t most highly--in fact, very few who
nave once raised it nr used 1t as forage
are satisfied to be without it, and as u
rule they contemplate an enlarged acreage
| and Increased use. The marvellous fact
| connected with this plant so old in agri-
| culture is that it comes, as it does, to so
many at the beginning of the twentieth
| century as an agricultural revelation.
While as old as agriculture, it is COM
| paratively new i'm the United States. hav-
ing found its way from South America
into California in 1854 and gradually
spread eastward since that time until now
it is grown. to at least q limited extent,
in every state of the union and In Canada
Eastward from the Pacific coast was not.
however. the only route of introduction of
alfalfa into America. 1t has long been
, grown in Germany and other northern
countries of Europe. and as early as 1920
1t was grown In New York. although ap-
parently but little appreciated.
This plant is a perennial, and the length
of time 1t will continue TO thrive under
favorable conditions without reseeding is
a matter OF conjecture. There are fields
in good condition after more than IS years
OF constant cropping; others are reported
to be so after much longer periods. 1t re-
1uires two Or three years and sometimes
longer for alfalfa to reach its prime. Like
any other crop II demands fair treatment
for best results. and when this treatment
is not given 1t suffers and ceases to yield
as it would under better conditions. It is
a deep, gross feeder: its root system in it's
development is most interesting on ac-
count of its great power OF penetrating
under at all favorable conditions to the
very bowels Of the earth.
To those not acquainted with the plant
the facts in this connection seem incredi-
h1o 0c,~1t{,,oS tJa Co1to x.Jh o,o+,c =
to a depth of five or six feet in six
months. Many instances are on record of
roots having been dug up or otherwise ex-
posed. some of which showed a length and
penetration of 3 feet, while even the
greater depths of so and 6S feet and more
and we'll developed power of passing
around obstacles, such as stones and
b%oulders, and no crevice is so small as to
escape them In their downward journeys.
This unusual pentrating power Is OF
greatest agricultural Importance. The
plant thereby not only obtains it's food
from far below the root range of ordinary
crops. thus leaving the surface store for
shallow feeders, but when these deep
boring roots die and decay they leave not
only their own fertilizing properties. but
tnnumerable openings for air ana moisture
and humus to penetrate. With these facts
known the value of alfalfa as both a sub
SCihS oAAA Is iiiOpG hpP1C@
ciated.
Alfalfa likes a warm climate, will,
moderate rainfall and a deep alluvial
soil, although it has more than the usual
variability in adapting itself to changes
of environment. 1t succeeds in a variety
OF soils, but reaches its greatest perfec-
tion on deep, alluvia sandy loans of
river and creek valleys or bottoms. Lime
is its favorite mineral element and the
soil of decaying limestone or calcareous
origin is ideal. 1t thrives exceedingly we'll
on soil in appearance almost entirely SAM
providing the water table is in reach of
its roots and the underf1ow contains min
ereal elements sufficient to supply abund-
ance of food. 1t thrives closer to the edge
OF alkali sinks of the plains than ordi-
nary plants which is in a measure &C.
counted for by it's being a gross feeder
upon some Of the identical mineral ele-
ments composing the alkali.
The depth to the watertable does not
determine whether a tract of land will
be suitable for alfalfa. If it is known that
the soil is moist from the surface or a
reasonable depth below the surface down
to the water level, alfalfa will succeed,
providing there be no layer of rock inter
vening, though the water be 10 to 40 feet
below. but il there is a stratum of dry
a between the surface and the water
level, as is the case in many places along
the rivers on the dry plains, the alfalfa
vii fare poorly because it can get no
benefit from the water below.
This plant seems to reach its limit OF
altitude at 5000 feet and fiourishes from
this down to sea level and even below, in
varying degrees. 1t will not endure stand
ing or an excess of water as long as corn
or wheat will, and Is more readily affected
by cold and wet together than ordinary
crops. Being a nitrogen gatherer directly
from the air by means of tubercles, we
need in considering its food requirements
to consider only the mineral elements.
Professor Headden of the Colorado ex--
pertinent station, who made a careful
chemical analysis of the plant and the
soil upon which it grows for the purpose
OF determining its food requirements and
the store available for such needs, found
that the first liz feet of Colorado soil
contains enough phosporic acid for 100
crops of AZ tons each; enough potash for
954 crops; enough lime for $500 crops:
enough magnesium for 1900 crops. and
enough sulphur for 800 crops. 1t will be
seen by this that the supply is practical
ly inexhaustible. since alfalfa ten years
old may and often does extend It's root
explorations to double OF treble this
depth.--F. D. Coburn.
CORN FEEDING VALUE.
From the Chicago Live Stock World.
In the feeding Of corn there has been
exhibited nv ovnorirepfaJ v,,orb- %hn