The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-13
SOME FACT ABOUT ALFALFA
THAT ARE WORTH KNOWING

only danger in its general consump-
tion, being a possible loss OF cat
! tie o" sheep from bl0ating caused
! by overeating, which usually oc-
ours when THE alfalfa is wet or the
cattle are turned into the fields
when they are hungry and eat with
| great avfdity, and are apt TO gorge
| themselves, but similar conditions
are Nable TO produce the same fa-
tai results when the pasturing is
ordinary clover, from practical ex-
pericnce over pasturing, alfalfa has
its dangerous features.
Fine results have been obtained
i'm getting hogs. sheep, cattle. horses
and poultry into condition by com
biniDg alfalfa with some kind OF
Q grain ration. and today ii Is re-
gardcd everywhere as am ideal plant
fed partially wilted, 1t is one OF
the greatest stOIk feed available
and especially to dairy cattle, In
the EASTERN as we'll as the southern
states as 1t yields a large amount
of nutritious and valuable forage.
AS NJ seems to possess wonder
full power Of gathering nitrogen
from the afr, as a rotation crop, IL
is absolutely unsurpassable, through
out the SUGAR beet districts the In
creased fertility Of the SOL upon
(which alfalfa has been grown, -
,.,Ea 80 ho Indicated g,yy ,,IIonop,anal
yield-tSof sugar beets for at least
four Years afterwards.
Though alfalfa is claimed to be a
good cover crop for orchards, yet
| 1t has been found that in dry re-
gionS ii frequently detracrs the ne
cessary moisture from the young
growing trees, the heaviest bodied
and richest Favored Is produced by
dhe bees that have access TO alfalfa
fields, when the plans are in full
blossom.
The seed Is often, adultersted
.lwih bur rcloyer and yellow trefoil
seed occasionally with dodder the
arch enemy Of all forage grasses.
For all kinds OF farm animals al
fa'fa fodder occupies highly n'l-
tr'bve class, and all manner Of live
stock eat Il greedily, either as hay
Or IN the green state
| In all Of the experimental STA
tions COMPARISON the percentage
compositiCn, protein and digestive
nutrients of alfalfa hay Is much
above red clover hay. On account
lof its high percentage Of protein it
Is not a we'll balanced ration even
Ith2ugh more nutritious than cl0ver
and 10 obtain the best results ai-
falfa should always be combined
with some either feed which Is
rich IN carbohydrates, and the grain
may be cCrn, barley aud at some
Of the dalries sorghum Is added to
the ratiCm.
In the Ea,Nern States and In
New Jersey, the daiTymen combine
alfalfa hay and meal with bran
lcotton seed meal, and dried brewers
lEqains, soy beans, Sillge corn meal.
Alfalfa hay Is regarded as a very
eaK sIadtory ration for dairy cattle,
For ecouomy's sake ground alfalfa
Ihay or alfalfa meal, is becoming
quite popular feed product, and
some OF 1t is mixed with sugar
beet molasses domestic animals as
a rule w'I conume more alfalfa III
Ithe meal form, than when fed with
the hay, the use OF alfalfa hay for
horses is rapd increasing, tho
Ionly dbjetion raised Is by stablemen
who claim if fed too strongly Is lia-
ble to produce securing, but in pas
Iturlr,g 1t Is regar ded as am excellent
forage plant, It's greatest growing
dangers are the piratfcal that often
encompass II and check and choke
dts life and perfection and there Is
rust spot disease that sometimes
attacks its vigorous Nfe, as alfalfa
roots deep. 1t is Fable TO be DDS
turbed by bu~orw!ng animals hks
praire dogs, gophers ground sautf-
rels and field mice and grass hop
pers damage It occasionally, but
with all this 1t Is Forging 10 ths
front steadily as a most valuable
stock food Its great drought resist
ling tendencies, aud ITS high nutrl-
tive aualities commendinlg II as
universal stock food.
BY Rienzi, with additions Of p
A Ansley, ETC., in the ApsaTaan
, Hay Flour and Feed J9prhill.
|
, N,et mS<at E4ier's CANDY Shop