The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-03-25
HOW TO GROW ALFALFA SEED
Government Expert Tells About the
Best Methods For Raising This
Valuable Crop

Best Methods For Raising This
Valuable Crop
Gooding Leader
Alfalfa seed is now being produce
in Idaho, upon nearly all classes o
soil, but better yields are reported il
most cases from the more sandy soils
However, there seems to be no logi
cal reason which suggests itsel
that the alfalfa is usually thinner OF
the sander soils, caused by the diff
ficulty in securing a perfect stant
thereon. And as thin stands usual,
produce the most seed, the thin stant
rather than the quality of the sol
is no doubt the reason for the BETTE
yield from such soils.
All seeds need air and plenty Of
sunshine for their proper growth
Most farm crops, such as wheat, oats
timothy, etc., bear their seeds at the
top of the stalk where all can gel
their supply of air and sun, even
where the plants are crowded togeth-
er in the field. But the habits OF
growth of the alfalfa plant are diff
ferent; the greater per cent. of its
seed pods are formed low down on
the sides and underneath the spread
of the plant where they cannot get
their full quota of air and sun il
thick stands. For this reason the al
falfa does not pod we'll where the
stand Is thick, but produces a much
larger amount of seed in the thinner
stands where each plant has plenty
of room.
Get the Most Seed Pods Possible
The problem is not how many
plants can we grow per acre, but how
many seed pods can We make each
plant produce.
In order to thin out their stands
sufficient for seed production, some
farmers have plowed alternate strips
through their fields, leaving strips of
uncut alfalfa from IL to IS inches
wide between the burrows.
The field is then narrowed cross
wise and is smoothed over. This
kills sufficient number of plants so
that the seed production is increased
very materially.
Alfalfa is usually cut for hay soon
after the blossoms begin to form and
as many times each season as the
weather forces it to that stage. 1t is
particularly adapted for hay crop,
as the small shoots, or basil shoots, of
the second growth begin to form and
shoot up around the crown at this
particular time.
If the hay Is cut at the proper time
the mower clips the old stalks just
above these small shoots and they are
not disturbed.
If the soil has plenty of moisture
at this time, as it should have for hay
production, these shoots being undis-
turbed will start to grow very rap
idly and the next crop begins to
come on, even while the hay is being
cured and stacked. Thus there is no
lost time or halt in the growth after
cutting as there is with other hay or
as there would be with alfalfa If the
hay had been let grow till the basal
shoots had grown so long that they
would be clipped and stunted by the |
mower. This is one reason why more
crops of alfalfa can be grown than |
any other hay. By careful observa-
ton one can tell by the appearance
Of these shoots when the hay is ready
TO cut
Use Less Water Than for Hay,
With seed production this is all re-
1ersed, as the blossoms appear and
he sed pods begin to form, the basal
hooots also start and will continue to
row and sap the strength that should
'e thrown into the seed pods if there
s too much water in the soil at this
line. This accounts to a large extent
or the failure of those who say they
irrigated too much. The soil must be
Try enough at this period so that the
econd growth will not be forced. AL
alta needs certain amount of mois-
ure for seed production, but not so
1uch as for hay.
Some farms are underlaid with wa
or at comparatively shallow depths
nd on some of these the alfalfa 9
GEMS to secure just the proper :
of moisture from sub-irriga- :
on from below to produce the maxi
lum amount of seed, without any r
lrface irrigation whatever. :
One farm noted with good deep me- =
ium sandy soil is undertake with wa g
er at an average depth of IL feet. q
MS farm produces over a hundred h
ollars worth of seed each year and
Is not been irrigated for three years.
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