The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-06-08
SOILS FOR ALFALFA
Should Be PIowed Deep in Fall
and Heavily MANFRED.
unioSs Careful Attention Is Given to
All Details Danger Of Failure Is
Greatly Observation-Disclosures
to Prepare Seed Bed We'll.

(Hy J. G. M'DOWHLI4 Agriculturist, %.
T. Department Of AgHcufture.)
1t b a difficult matter to growsal-
fslfa successfully in most parts Of
North Dakota. but unless careful at
taution a given to a few details the
danger OF failure is greatly increased.
The purpose of this article is to point
out q few Of the things that should bel
dore in order to insure success.
As alfalfa is a crop that is likely to-
gt-e satisfactory returns for many
years without %re-seeding, it is always
advisable to prepare the seed bed as
won as possible. When the seed ist
to be scwn in the spring, the land
should be heavily MANFRED and
plowed deep the previous fall. Spring
blowing often gives good results, but
alfalfa prefers a Arm seed bed. II the
Flowing is done in the spring, some
means should be taken to firm the
seed bed before sowing. Whether the
blowing is to be done in the fall Or
spring, and no matter at what time
the seed is to be sown, the land
should always be heavily MANFRED.
The purpose in manuring, Is not SO
much to enrich the soil for the al
falfa as 1t is to furnish a medium in
which the alfalfa bacteria develop
rapidly. In this way the manure
greatly assists In i~noculating the al
falfa. If the manure is well 1ncor-
porated In the soil, it will add much
to its water holding capacity, and as
alfalfa is a great lover Of moisture,
the moisture of the soil humus often
insuces heavy yields where there
would otherwise be failure.
In most sections of the states east!
Of the Mississippi river the soil needs
lime, but this is not generally true of,
tbs soils Of the Dakotas. AS yet our
soils are not often acid, but 1t can do
no harm to have them tested for
acidity and make sure they do not re-
quire lining. If lime is to be used it
is best to apply it in the fall unless
1t is in the form of ground limestone,
rock, in which a S 1t may be applied
at any time. Where lime is needed at
all 1t is usually advisable to use from
to two tons per acre, and to har-
row 1t in on the plowed surface.
AS early In the spring as 1t will do
to work the land, the surface should
be stirred with a disk harrow SO as to
form a mulch to conserve moisture.
A second narrowing with the disk
should take place as o o as the
weeds have made a fair start. This
will be about the time the farme r has
< finished sowing his grain. Now IS the
fdeai time to SOW alfalfa in any or
binary year. While alfalfa may ba
sown with success at almost any POI
rod from the time the snow goes Oft
In the spring until the first Of Septem-
Der. providing moisture conditions are
right, there is no better time to sow
it than just after finishing the seed-
Ing of the spring grain crops.
A light crop of barley may do no
harm in wet seasons, but alfalfa Isl
more certain to be successful when,
sown alone. If barley is to be sown.
as a nurse crop, it should be sown at
the rate Of not more than three pecks
10 one bushel per acre, and If the
season is dry the barley should be cut
for hay.
To determine whether or not al.
kilfa il the Dakotas needs to be in,
ocnlated, I nave examined dozens of
fields, and have found all Of them in
oculated in whole or in part; but I
world strongly advise inoculating ali
SOL on which alfalfa has never been
grown. The best way to %inoculate is
to set soil from an old alfalfa field
th,t Is We'll inoculated, and apply it