The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-22

= year previous to sowing the alfalfa
by growing cultivated crop such as
corn or potatoes, the latter being
preferred Here is where the
good blowing and thorough tillag
should be practiced BY thoroughly
cultivating the land, many of the
weeds are destroyed and a large
amount Of moisture is stored in the
soil to be utilized by the young alfalfa
plants. Upon old land, liberal APP
plication of well rotted manure be-
fore planting the cultivated crop will
prove very beneficial in stimulating
vigorous growth while the plants are
young. Before sowing the alfalfa the
following spring, the land should be
| double disced by tapping half and then
thoroughly narrowed. 1t is highly i'm
| portant that the soil be put in the
best possible physical condition before
sowing the seed
Alfalfa should be sown in the spring
after the danger of heavy frost is
past. In the drier sections, better
stands are generally obtained when
medium early seeding is practiced.
! Usually better stands are obtained by
sowing the seed broadcast and lightly
narrowing the ground after sowing.
More seed will be required for broad
casting than when a drill is used.
Eighteen to twenty pounds of good
seed will be sufficient II sown with a
drill There are various makes OF
cheap hand seeders on the market
which are very practical for sowing
the seed broadcast. The seed may be
Sown with common seed drill with
the discs set as shallow as possible.
When a grain drill is used the seed
may be mixed with ground meal, us
ing one-third OF seed to o-thirds of
the mead or ground barley; then SOW
ing the resultant mixture at the rate
OF three and a half to four and one
half pecSs per acre. Should sufficient
moisture not be present in the soil
for rapid termination of the seed, it
is best to defer planting to a more
favorable time, or if need be, until the
next season.
The first year is largely spent by the
alfalfa crop in establishing the plants
in the soil and full crops are not Sc
cured until the second or third Sc .SSn.
During the first season it is advisable
the sickle bar OF the mower run high, |
in order to keep down weeds and pre- |
vent them from going to seed. Young |
plants must not be cut too late in the |
fall Of the first year. for If allowed to |
form at least five or six leaves before |
cold weather sets in they will with |
stand the rigors of wiRter sr!uHh better |
If the weather conditions in the |
spring are especially favorable and |
plenty Of moisture is present, a good !
stand of alfalfa may be secured on |
land that grew cereal crop the pre-
vious season, but as the cost of seed |
is great it will not pay usually to take |
the risk. In this case it will be best |
to early fall plow the stubble land,
sub-surface pack in the spring, thor
oughly harrow, then use a planker or |
a filling drag rrR fiat to improve the
physical conditiSl Of the soil befx re
sowing the seed. Alfalfa should not |
be sown with a nurse crop as all the
moisture and sunshine is needed by
the young plant
When manure is applied to the land,
it may not be necessary to resort to
artificial incubation of the soil, which
pears necessary in order to obtain
healthy growth of alfalfa. Excellent
results have been obtained at the
station by .inocuIating the
land with soil taken from an old alf-
alta field where it was known that the
bacteria was present in abundance
The soil was sOwn broadcast by hand
at the rate of 100, 200 and 500 pounds
per acre and narrowed at once. This
was done at time of sowing the seed.
One hundred pounds Of dirt per acre
gave as good results as a greater
amount If manure spreader is used /
in scattering the manure, a small
Of dirt may be sprinkled over
each load before it is hauled to the
field thereby saving additional labor
in scattering.
During the first season after the
young alfalfa plants have attained a
height Of three or four inches, 1t is a
good practice to harrow the field in
order to loosen up the soil and con-
serve moisture. AS the crop grows
older narrowing and discing may be
continued at needed intervals when
the soil becomes hard and dry. Disc
ing not only splits the crown of the
plant and causes it to branch more
freely, but 1t also stimulates a more
vigorous growth.
The best strains of alfalfa are the
northern Montana grown,
common, and certain strains of the
Turketsan. The seed grown under dry
land culture is preferable to that
grown under irrigation.
Greater difficulty is experienced in
curing alfalfa hay properly than In
other grasses. Various methods have
been followed in handling the crop
and each seem to have their advan-
tages. One of the most popular meth
DDS in practice is to commence moving
in the morning as soon as the dew
is off, rake into windrows in the after
noon when the hay becomes we'll wilt
ed, turn the next forenoon after the
dew is off and in the afternoon the ha,y
is ready to stack or put in the barn
Should the crop be heavy 1t is a good
plan TO pile the hay in small cocks
and allow to cure for few days be-
fore stacking or putting 1t in the NOV.
A hay tedder and side delivery rake
are excellent tools for handling the
alfalfa crop. 1t is OF the greatest i'm
portance that dry weather be chosen
for curing the alfalfa hay as rain Is
very injurious to it. The hay should
be perfectly free from dew or rain
before stacking or placed.in the NOW.
Canning Meat in Economy Jars
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