The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-05-25


since has been nursing a desire to
grow some. He told a story about
a man in California who was rails
ing a fine Jersey calf on little patch
of alfalfa in his back yard. 1t was
4 during the dry season, and when the
feed began to get bit short, the man
would get out his hose, wet the patch
down Thoroughly. and then the stuff
would come again with a rush. Mr..
Fitzgerald said that If he should tell
j just how small that patch was, that
nobody would believe it. He feels
especial confidence In the coming ex-
! pertinent, because two years ago an
alfalfa plant came up in his carrot
patch and grew famously He show
ed bundle of the stalks at the Ca
naan fair last fall.
Up near the high point of his nat
ural grass farm in Cornville, George
i E. Foster has picked out plot that
was in millett last year. The soil is
a dark loan, and is in perfect condi-
ton to make an ideal seed bed. Ledge
underles a great deal of the farm,
/ but on the experimental plot the
drainage seems to be excellent. Mr..
Foster is much interested in alfalfa,
and proposes to take every precaution
in trying to make 1t grow and feed
his fine herd of Guernseys
A. N Whittier lives next to MI.
Foster, and the soil on his place is
also a dark loan. His plot was In
| potatoes last year and Is also in
promising shape. The slope of the
| land is gradually to the west, and I'M
less the ledge comes too close to the
surface should respond fayorably.
L. F. Parsons Of Cornville will also
use land that was in potatoes last
year. He has a plot of graVelly loan
( that was ploughed in the fall and
seems to meet all the requirements.
/ The quarter acre selected is typical
/ of the whole farm, SO initial success
carries with it great possibilities.
Everett A Salley will not be great
ly disappointed if his alfalfa should
winter-kill, but is going to do every
thing possible for it just the same.
He will use last years garden, and
in addition to barn dressing will use
some chemicals. The land has been
both plowed and narrowed this spring
as a beginning.
Charles II. Gardner will make one
of the most interesting trials of the
whole series, He will use a plot OF
reddish clay loan that was broken
last August giving the same treat
ment as to old ground. Barn dress
ing at the rate of 80 loads per acre
narrowing and reploughing are on
the program. but the soil is rather
heavy to make an ideal home for al
falfa. Success here will mean great
er possibilities than have been anti
cipated thus far.
At Eaton Mountain Farm r. T. Pat
ten will SOW alfalfa on a plot OF roll
ing sandy loan that was devoted to
sweet corn last year. There will be
a few weeds to fight before planting
time, but the treatment scheduled
will make short work of them.
All things considered this series
will constitute one of the most COM
prehensiye crop trials ever conduct
ed in the State of Maine. Those par
ticipatlng are distributed over a COM
paratively wide area, yet near enough
together so that each one may pro-
fit by the experience of all. The
types of soil include nearly all the
gradations known to be adapted to
alfalfa. and the cooperative interest
insures more painstaking work than
could otherwise be expected. Several
visits will be made to each farm dur
ing the season, so that all progress
and experience may be fully record
ed.