Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1911-07-21

feres with moving, makes the hay
more succulemt and delays curling,
which may cause injury to the hay.
1t does, however, put moisture in the
ground, where it produces quick
and vigorous start from the crowns
for the next crop. Alfalfa should be
cut, cured and removed from the
ground as quickly as possible. Then
irrigate after the cutting. 1t is east
or to spread water on the stubble.
The irrigation can be done better and
does not interfere with making the
hay. Alfalfa does not stand well in
water. Tie irrigations should be as
short as possible. Some of the best
farmers in the west now practice fur
row irrigation for alfalfa. The fur
rows are made with a corn marker or
something Of the same kind. They
are usually shallow burrows. four or
five inches deep, and made two feet
apart. Running water through these
burrows prevents flooding the crowns.
and OH many soils better crops are
produced.
HARV ESTING HAY
Alfalfa for hay should be harvested
when it first begins to come into
bloom. The best haymakers rake
their alfalfa either Immediately after
moving or as soon as it is slightly
wilted. Some keep their hay III wind
rows: others buncl, with rake. Tn
doubtpdly the best method, although
it takes more work. is to put the hay
in cocks with Il fork, as it saves much
waste and insures the best curing.
The hay should be stacked when it is
sufficiently dry, but not too brittle.
DO not put in stack when there is
dew, rain, or other moisture on the
outside Of the stems and leaves. If
perfectly dry outside, it may be stack
ed when there is considerable mois-
ture in the hay, providing the stacks
are not made too large or stack venti-
kind OF stack bottom, even if it is no
more than layer of straw. On large
fields many use the common goodwill,
or Kicker, to haul the hay cocks or
punches to the stackers. Mr.. Wilcox
has called attention to the Lockhart
drag as an advanced method of haul
ing hay from the fields to the stack.
This drag is made OF nine 1x6 boards
placed six inches apart and bolted at
each end to 2X4 crosspieces laid fiat
1t is simply dragged over the field and
ton or more of hay tipped onto it
with forks and then dragged to the
stack, where the hay is delivered to
the stacker. New stacks, especially
where the wind blows, should be an
chored by wires over the tops and
| fastening weights to them.
HAIRY EST AFTER ANY INJURY
DO not hesitate about or delay the
cutting of alfalfa at any time if it's
tops are injured severally by frosts,
or hail, or insects, or drOutll 1t new
| er pays to leave such injured alfalfa
with the hope that it may recover
because the plants always make q
second growth from the crowns, and
the injured tops both spoil the hay
and interfere with the growth of thu
second crop.
| STORING GREEN ALFALFA
Green alfalfa may be stored either
in the silo OF by a new method recon
mended by the Kansas Experiment
Station. We do not recommend sllos
for the west, because dry alfalfa la
is such Il perfect food that there is II,
necessity of putting it up green. I'll,
Kansas method Of storing green alfal
fla is of interest. The alfalfa is haul
ed in as soon as possible after cuttin,
and stored on floors two to three fee
above ground. made of poles or Stats
which supply openings through til
hay. These sheds are covered wit
some kind of roof. The alfalfa is pill
ed from three to five feet deep on tn
floors, and if the weather is dry an
there is no outside moisture on til
stems or leaves, it is claimed it vii
cure perfectly without heating. Sue
hay contains all the leaves and retain
perfect green color, which gives
the highest value. Care must be tax
Ell not to compact the hay after it
put in.
ALFALFA AS A Pl'LV ERlZER
Any one who has had eX perience q
who has studied alfalfa in it's rel:
ton to western soils becomes mos
appreciative and enthusiastic abou
its unparalleled value. Though til
) agency of the bacteria on it's roots
alfalfa is one of the strongest nitro