The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-01-07
ALFALFA FOR SEED
Its Production Under Irrigation
Should Prove Quite Profitable.
Two Chief Requisites Are Moderate
Amount Of Moisture and Thin
Stand-Yields Vary from Three
to Nine Bushels.

The production OF alfai1a SEED ID
the semi-arfd regions has largely been
incidental to hay production. Few
Ii any growers plant alfalfa especially
for seed production and fields usually
cut for hay are occasionally allowed
to produce seed. Hence no particular
attention has been given to the secur'
ing of thin stand though some grow
seed where there is an imperfect stand
of alfalfa.
| Alfalfa seed is in great demand, as
| the supply is not commensurate with
the demand and it brings a good price.
Hence it is line of farming tina:
| might be greatly expanded. The Yields
| range from three to nine bushels per
| acre. A seed crop of four bushels
| per acre has about the same market
| as crop of five tons of alfalfa hay
| per acre, not counting the one hay
| crop cut when alfalfa seed Is produced.
1t will therefore be seen that alfalfa
| seed production should prove quite
profitable 1t should be Profitable
business. and more profitable than at
the present time Ii suitable manage
neut OF the fields be adopted and
there be special planting. If it is profit
able in occasional years on the ordi-
nary hay meadow il should be even
more SO on fields properly planted for
seed production and given suitable
care and cultivation.
The two chief requisites for success
full seed production are moderate
amount of moisture and thin stand.
the plants must not be crowded but
have sufficient room and plenty of
light. Three to six pounds of seed
per acre should give thick enough
stand. Planting in rows with a drill
Is to lie recommended Let there be
ono row between each irrigation fur
row. The distance between rows will
then depend upon the rate of percola-
ton of irrigation water. Stop up q
certain number of holes in the drill
lor in some other way fix It. that
Ut will seed in rows the desired dis
tance apart. The drill should be set
TO feed with reference to the number
:of drills actually seeding. If, for In
stance, 1t Is desired to SOW five pounds
per acre and one-fourth of the drills
are In use then set Mt four times the
rate, or 20 pounds. II the drill does
mot plant little enough mix fine saw
dust with the seed or mix with 1t mil
let seed that has been subjected to
a high temperature in an oven for
three hours to destroy Its vitality.
When using those drills that have an
alfalfa or clover seed attachment with
spouts leading into the grain tubes,
disconnect those spouts which are to
SOW seed and tie firmly around the
lower end Of each tube small sack
to catch the seed. II the plants are
so thick In the rows as to be crowded
harrow crosswise Of the rows when
the alfalfa Is a few inches high to
kill portion. During the first sea-
son frrigate as required. using the fur.
row method and clip once. setting the
sickle bar to cut the plants half way
down.
Usually one hay crop is cut be-
sides the seed crop. Which crop should
be saved for seed will depend upon the
aititude ana the particular climatic
condition Of each locality. The crop
that will mature during the hottest
part Of the summer season produces
the best seed. Where the season is
short, due either to the altitude or to
q northern latitude, the first crop will
generally be the seed crop and there
ts no second crop. At the lower alti-
tudes where there are three cuttings
In hay meadows the first crop is cut
for hay and the second allowed to
produce seed and there Ia no third
crop. The time for cutting the hay
crop can be varied as the conditions
require. In order that the seed crop
may come on somewhat earlier than
otherwise the first crop or hay crop
must be cut earlier than usual in hay
meadows. The first crop generally
natures before insects are numerous
enough for the proper fertilization Of
the flowers and 1t generally does not
mature as evenly as does the second.
The third crop natures too late for
best seed production.