The silver messenger., 1911-05-30
DRY FARM alfalfa
When Well Established It Will
Survive Droughts.
,ts Deep Roofing Tendency May En-
able Crop to Grow Without irrloa-
tlon II Roots Can Penetrate
Moist 0oil-Number to Acre.

If farmer on the dry plains has
we'll that will furnish just enough wa
ter for SO head of stock, it would be.
folly for him to try to keep 60 or Is
head on the same supply of water Ind
1t is equally ridiculous for him to at
tempt to crowd plants In soil where
the moisture is limited Some plants
may develop with less moisture than
others, but alfalfa is not one Of them.
On the other hand 1t is conceded by
all western farmers that an abundance
OF moisture is the key to success In
growing alfalfa for hay. When 1t is
we'll established, alfalfa will endure
long droughts and still revive when
water Is applied. To that extent, 1t is
adapted to dry farming and its deep
roofing tendency may enable the crop
to grow without irrigation II the roots
can penetrate to moist soil. There are
many localities on the plains where
the run-off from heavy showers could
be collected and diverted by bitches
upon soil suited to alfalfa, writes P. X.
Blinn, In the Denver Field and Farm.
Often In a draw, where moisture from
the surrounding prairie Is inclined to
center, good encouragement for seed
ing to alfalfa is offered. The num-
ber of plants to the acre that can be
maintained in the dry farming dis
trict has not been determined but on
small tract at Rocky Ford without
irrigation for II previous months
produced at the rate of two and three
flftha tons the acre the first cut
ting, and it made second growth
equally as good that was left for seed.
The plat had been seeded the previous
year to Turkestan alfalfa and thinned
to single plants 20 inches apart each
way. 1t received one irrigation and
was thoroughly cultivated that year.
The growth the following year was
made on the moisture that was
stored and conserved in the soil but
such phenomenal yields can hardly be
expected without irrigation. In favor
ed spots, however, alfalfa can certain
ly be grown If once established and
properly managed. The growing of al
falfa seed offers great opportunities to
the farmer on the dry lands, because
the fact has been we'll demonstrated
that alfalfa yields seed best when the
plant makes a slow, dwarfed growth.
when it really lacks for moisture, but
has enough to set and fill the seed.
When grown under dry conditions the
seed has more vigor and vitality than
that produced with an excess of moist
ure, and it is usually free from dOd-
der and other noxious weeds, II the
field has had any cultural care. There
Is a demand for dry land alfalfa seed
that far exceeds the supply. In es
tablishing alfalfa for seed production
under dry conditions it is recommend
ed to SOW in rows 18 or 20 inches apart
with two to three pounds of good seed
to the acre. A thin, uniform stand Is
absolutely necessary, even to thin
ming, as in beet culture, but the stand
can usually be regulated by the
amount of seed sown. 1t has beer
found that plants 20 inches apart
will support each other and not lodge
or lay on the ground, as in the thicker
or thinner stands. With good stool
Ing variety like the Grimm or thu
Turkestan, plants six to twelve inches
apart in the row are thick enough. 1
all the seed would germinate, on,
pound the acre would be ample
tity uniformly in the row and for seet
production, it might pay to space ant
thin the plants. The row system i
essential, as it permits inter-tillage t,
eradicate weeds and to conserve tn
moisture and also allow deep cultiva
ton to absorb winter storms, allowing
an opportunity to farrow out the row
and to. direct or divert any surface wa
ter that may or may not be needed
1t is the only system that will ALLOW
the tillage so essential to all dry farm
ing. The four-row beet cultivatol
with its wedding knives and other a.
tachments, is an ideal impl lSment fo
cultivating the crop. A four-row dri
adapted to sow alfalfa seed is needle
to complete the equipment, but tn
ordinary beet drill, with the additio
Of an alfalfa or grass seeder al 'acl
ment, can be modified to suit the worl
The seed should be sown shallow, nc
over an inch deep, and good result
have been secured with the commo
garden drill by marking out the groun
with the rows gauged in sets of for
to correspond to the four-row cultiv
tor. Where there is an opportunity I
| nse irrigation or food water. the fiel
] should be ditched In every other ROY
and the burrows logged out with sic
. made Of short logs eight to ten incht
t. In diameter. and from three to TO,
l. feet long. spaced to at two burrows I
70 that the water may be run through .
. quickly a. possible, for the alfalfa Gre
le for seed will need as little water 1
ID can be applied. A short rush of wat,
D. after q sudden shower can be delive
ed over considerable ground II Il
field IL properly ditched. The gre
secret In this country Is to save 9
moisture from every source.
.. Ration for MlIch Cows.
Y, Bran has been found an excelle