Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-10-19
Alfalfa as a
Dry Farm Crop.
BY w. r. Porter, superintend-
ent Demonstration Farms.

LIN ~ IlllllS dltdS
the search for suitable crops goes on
In this area the grass is very short, in
fact this gave the country it's former
name. short grass country" and it
will not produce much hay or forage.
A plant that will produce hay and for
age with reasonable certainty is in
deed welcome to the dry land agricul-
turist. Alfalfa is such a plant for ex.
cellence.
Why is alfalfa particularly adapted
to the dry farming sections of the
country? First-Because of it's pecu.
liar roofing system. The roots pene-
trate deeply into the soil, often ex-
tending down more than ten feet. If
the surface soil becomes dry these
roots draw on the water content of
the deep subsoil. Second-Once it is
established it will last many years
without the necessity of ~re.seeding.
Third-It can be seeded in drill rows
twenty-four to thirty inches apart and
can be cultivated in very dry sections;
hn this way the moisture that falls on
the soil is practically all saved for
the crop. Fourth-It can be used as
a hog pasture to very good advantage
and as the crop starts early in the
season this is particularly advanta-
geous. Fifth-It is a leguminous
plant with the peculiar ability to take
the nitrogen from the air and fix it in
the soil. The deep penetrating roots
bring up phosphoric acid and potash
from below to the surface layers of
soil. For these reasons, alfalfa is
without a peer as a soil builder in
the dry farming areas.
How a a farmer get a field of al
falfa? First, select a field which has
been broken up a few years 1.-TWO or
three at least); there is but little use
in sowing alfalfa on sod land or new
breakings. Second, put in but a
small field at first, generally an acre
will be sufficient. Third, thoroughly
prepare the land before seeding alfal-
ia. This can be done by giving the
land a good coat of manure (ten to
twelve tons per acre. during the win
ter or early spring. AS soon as the
land is fit disc it in the spring and
incorporate the manure in the soil
as early as possible. Plow the land
six to eight inches deep about the
goth of May, subsurface pack the day
you plow and harrow Immediately
afterwards. Seed Immediately with
corr in check rows. Harrow the corn
frequently until it is six to eight
inches high. Keep the corn well cul-
tivated all season.; be particular to
keep a soil mulch on the surface of
the land at all time. If the corn is
cut, shock it up in straight row i'm
mediately and double disc the land
lightly; by all means preserve the
mulch by means OF the disc or harrow
until the ground freezes. If the corn
can he left standing all winter so
much the better as the corn stalks
will catch a good deal of water in the
form of snow, If this plan is fol
lowed the cultivator should be run
through the corn field in the fall in
order to keep the soil mulch in good
condition. In the spring on a frosty
morning hitch a horse on each end of
a straight pole or log and drag it
over the field, breaking off all the
corn stalks. They should then be
raked off the field with a horse rake.
When the frost leaves the ground
soil from an old alfalfa field should
be scattered over the field at the rate
of 200 pounds per acre and the land
should then be double disced imme-
diately to bury this inoculating soil
and r%e-establish the soil mulch. This
disc should be run nearly straight so
it will not cut in deeply. 1t should
then be narrowed at intervals until
the middle of May when the soil
should be compact, full of moisture,
inoculated and with an inch and a
half of fine mulch on top which should
be as fine as an onion bed.
The alfalfa seed should be either
of the Grimm, Montana or Turkestan
strains, the Grimm being preferable.
The seed should have strong germi-
mating qualities and should be free
from all ~noxious weed seeds such as
dodder or sweet clover. The seed
should be drilled in this fine onion
like seed bed about the middle of
May without a nurse crop. Seed at
the rate of ten to fifteen pounds of
seed per acre. If weeds appear dur
ing the summer clip them off with
the mower. If the alfalfa turns yell
low cut it Immediately. Do not cut or
pasture alfalfa later than Aug. 20 in
Western North Dakota or Eastern
Montana, as the fall growth is neces-
sary for the protection of the roots.
If care is taken to get a good stand of
alfalfa and if the farmer takes proper
care of it afterwards there is no dry
farming crop that will prove nor
profitable than alfalfa in many sec