El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-06-25
Some Alfalfa Growing Results

Tn COLORADO only three cuttings Of
alfalfa are made per year, cOnse-
- Quently the conclusions drawn from
the excellent experiments conducted at
the Agricultural College are not entire
ly applicable 20 our conditions in the
Rio Grande valley.
The principal points to be observed in
planting alfalfa are the preparation of
a good seed bed, and the selection OF
good, plump seed planted deep enough
to produce good termination, the depth
VARYING from very shallow to three
inches deep. The usual practice is to
drill the seed in with oats or spring
wheat as protective crop.
The Difference.
The French varieties, the Turkestan
and the Colorado grown alfalfa do not
show any material differences in COM
position, and any that may have existed
disappear under the conditions Of soil
and climate prevailing there The COM
mon alfalfa is of two types, that with
dark green color, narrow leaves with
red stems and deep violet purple
flowers and the type that has green
stems and lighter flowers and is not so
leafy and early as the former
Alfalfa grows on all Colorado soils
that are not too wet even up to an al
titude of 5000 feet. The amount of
water secured in irrigation, and from
rainfall during the season for the three
crops varies from 90 to "a inches. The
general practice is TO cut in early
bloom, but the results obtained by the
chemists analyses do not show any eX-
IRENE differences in the different per-
iods of cutting. The weather may have
such an influence on the crop that the
condition Of half bloom Of the second
cutting for instance may correspond to
4 e -, ~,
cutting from the standpoint Of COM
position
Weight of Hay.
The weight of hay cut at full bloom
is more than the same land would pro-
duce if cut in early or half bloom, as !
much as 10 to Is percent. The digesti-
bility Of the hays cut at different stages J
of growth is very nearly the same, !
though there is a slight difference in |
favor of hay cut at full bloom
1t is the custom to rake the alfalfa |
into windrows as soon as advisable /
after cutting, allowing it TO continue !
curing in windrow 8 or cock. In this |
way fewer leaves are lost than if al
lowed to dry in the swath, for even I'M
der favorable circumstances one-fifth
of the crop may be lost by the leaves
off, and may amount to two
thirds Of the crop when handled too
often.
Relative Weights.
In Colorado 100 pounds first cutting
alfalfa gives about q pounds Of hay;
100 pounds of second cutting, about %
pounds. Cut from early to full bloom,
the amount of hay secured from 100
pounds of green alfalfa has range of
about four pounds in the first and
second cuttings. The leaves vary from
90 TO so percent of the weight of the
plant
When we consider that nearly four
'ifths of the crude protein of alfalfa
s found in the leaves, over One-half of
he nitrogen free extract and fat and
# the plant by weight, it emphasizes
he fact that alfalfa should be handled
s little as possible and that it should
re raked into windows as soon as well
vilted. Even if a great many leaves
ire lost through unavoidable causes,
We may obtain satisfaction in consider
ng that they remain in the meadow
md enrich the soil and that the mere
Italia stems do not differ materially |
n composition from that of timothy
lay. While cows and sheep prefer a
eafy hay, still horses eat alfalfa stems
Iuite readily.
The Percentage of Loss.
Since the loss in making alfalfa hay
mounts to from 17.5 to so percent,
Ome prefer TO make 1t into enSilage, !
which is very good and relished by
attic.
Benefits to the Soil.
The crude ash in alfalfa hay may be
2 ken as 10 percent, therefore in a crop
f 4 u tons, 5000 pounds, 900 pounds Of
liant food are removed from the soil ]
n the form of phospAoric acid 1910
ounds, 231.5 pounds Of potash, 62S
ounds of chloride and 208.S pounds of
This iS "a .
ew feet of soil as with most plants,
ut from depths of from 6 to II feet
he leaves that fall to the ground and