Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-07-15
HAY CROPS
by X. G. Ashby, Member Washington
State College Experiment Station
Staff.

| meTS the Importance. OF DeJJer m6Ju
DDS of cultivation and harvesting OF
those now being grown. The most i'm
portant grasses and forage crops now
in use are alfalfa, orchard grass, the
fescues, tall oat grass, and red clover
Alfalfa is placed first in Importance as
a hay crop. Moreover the growing OF
alfalfa even for short time, in
creases the fertility Of the soil upon
which it is planted.
Orchard grass is recommended as
a hay crop or for pasture in connec-
ton with alfalfa. The same can be
said of the fescues. Dat grass is rec
commended as hay crop and has CIV
en- general satisfaction under Eastern
Washington conditions upon the hill
land as we'll as on medium eleya-
tons.
Red clover is giving good satisfac-
! ton upon the college farm, produc-
ing yields of excellent quality. 1t is
! being grown upon the lower portion
of the hill slopes there. Whether the
clover will continue to produce sat
isfactory yields during dryer years
| than have been experienced for the
be seen, but it is considered a prom
Using hay crop.
In growing hay crops of any sort,
| or in seeding a field for pasture pur-
poses there are two very important
| things to be considered: Cd the Sc
lection of pure, strong seed, and (2)
the proper preparation of the seed
bed. If the seed is not pure, the far
mer stands a chance of introducing
into his field objectional weeds, that
in some cases will prove very trouble
some. The planting Of seed that has
little terminating power means
poor stand, as well as a loss of a por-
ton of what does come up, it being
too weak to continue growing more
than a few weeks.
The preparation of the seed bed
should not be sighted, for no matter
how good the seed may be, it will
not grow unless the ground is prop
erly prepared.
The spring seeding of alfalfa is the
ton. In this case the land should be
fall plowed fairly deep. The field
should not be narrowed or worked
down, but left rough through the
winter. 1t should be narrowed or
disced, as conditions Indicate as ear
ly in the spring as possible prepar-
atory to seeding. If the soil should be
very loose, which is not likely to hap
pen, it should be firmed or compact
ed by the use OF a sub-surface pack
er or other tools, according to the
character of the soil. The seed should
be sown as early as the season will
permit. Too early seeding may per-
nit damage from frost. Too late seed
ing often allows the young crop to
be injured by dry weather later. Seed
ing is done both broadcast and by
drilling, but the latter is by far the
better method. BY drilling the seed is
placed at a uniform depth and uni
form rate of seeding is accomplished.
Usually two or three inches is plenty
oil
average amount of moisture present
and the ground has been prepared.
Fall seeding of alfalfa is practiced
in many sections and will prove a
success where there is sufficient
moisture in the ground at planting
time to start the plants quickly and
enable them to make sufficient
growth to withstand the winter. Fall
seeding should be done on ground
that has been summerfalloWed and
where for any reason the crop has not
been sown in the spring. Where fall
seeding is adopted the seed should be
put in not later than the early part of
September, the time of seeding to
be governed by the moisture and the
soil conditions. The other grasses are
usually sown in the spring.
Relative to time of cutting, the
method of curing, and the effect of
the time of harvesting upon the feed
ing value of hay crops a few points
should be noted.
With alfalfa it is well to allow the
hay to become ripe before it is cut.
| Over-ripe alfalfa sheds it's leaves very
| easily as soon as it is somewhat dry
and cures quickly and can scarcely be
| put into a barn without losing n
large percentage of the leaves, and
these are by far the most valuable
part of the plant. The exact time of
cutting will of course depend upon
the climate conditions and the seas
on, but ordinarily it is not well to let
the plants stand after from one-tentb
| TO one-fOurth of the bloom is omen