The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-09-23
ALFALFA BEST CROP
Natural Home for Growth Of This
Drought Resisting Plant.
Eventually Will Supplant Great
Ranges Of West, Which Are Grad
ualIy Fading Away-Irrigation
Is Essential.

The farmer today is studying to
raise the maximum crops and to make
all he can force from his land regard
less of the future. He is studying
plant life and crop rotation as never
before and We find that in many sec
tons the farm lands produce abun-
dant crops year after year and their
owners are prosperous and independ-
ent. We find that among these farm
ers certain crops play the important
parts in their business and they rely
upon them not only to produce an
income from each seasons crop but to
increase the profits in those that fol-
low. We find that alfalfa stands out
boldly as in a class by itself, writes
f. L. Johnson, in Field and Farm.
Alfalfa is the most important and
most profitable crop grown in the ir-
rigated west. Our deep. strong soils
to be the natural home for the
enormous ROOF growth Of this drought
resisting plant. That it is appreciated
more as it becomes better known Ia
shown by the fact that each year
shows greater acreage and more care
is taken with both plant and product.
y great future is dawning today for
this wonderful plant. 1t is to feed
both master and beast. 1t will make
the bread and butter, the meat and
clothing and produce the wealth that
will make this part of the country
foremost of our nation. 1t is to sup
plant the great ranges of our land,
which are fading away. Only a few
more years and their glory and sue
cesses, their dreams and realities will
be things of the past and over the
land where once the cattle baron ruled
supreme today numberless homes are
being made prosperous and by far
better stock is being bred and raised
on the farms than III the range
through the medium of alfalfa. which
is pointing the way to success and
wealth to the present-day stockman.
Our soil is of such a nature that any
kind of preparation will get some kind
of a stand of either alfalfa or clover.
but we should not let this fact keep
us from putting our land in good con-
dition and doing it as near right Is
possible. remembering that one day's
work with a good team and leveler
saves a weeks work with a shovel
each season, as we'll as much patience
and water. Thus far most of our fields
have been seeded alone and for new
land this is the best, but on land that
has been cropped several seasons sue
cessful seeding has been done with
grain. While some prefer sowing
alone on unplowed stubble, this Is
often the best method on sandy soil.
Ten pounds of seed to the acre may
be termed average seeding, while a
few claim from Is to 18 pounds are
needed Notwithstanding the fact that
many first-class stands have been OBJ
tanned from five to eight pounds and
some of our best farmers believe that
if more seed is needed something Is
wrong with the seed, the land or the
man. The ~wheelbarrow seeder is the
best, followed with a light narrowing.
Irrigating corrugations should be from
20 to "a inches apart. only large
enough to carry the head of water
desired and run on such grade that
the water can stay in them to the end.
Do not run them up and down hill,
thinking the water will follow. for
there is plenty of evidence that it will
not. Put the seed in early enough so
it will not have to be watered up. II
planted early and clipped when from
six to ten inches high a light crop
can be taken off the first year.