The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1911-07-29
simply by disking in the seed on stub

SIMPLY ny uiskiuS i'll Tue steu OH stup-
ble land. Thus, it was learned that
the seed-bed should he well compact
ed, with finely pulverized surface,
the ideal conditions approximating
those suitable for the oniOn-bed.
To obtain such conditions deep,
thorough blowing should be done
now, in field where oats orsmillet.
or n similar crop, was grownin the
spring. If no previous plans had been
made. The field should then he har-
rowed and disked frequently, and
after every considerable rain, until
time to- SOW. This will give the firm
subsurface. the fine top soil, and re-
tain the moisture. Then, after the
first rain or shower, from about the
middle of August to the middle of
September, preferably the earlier
part, SOW. say, fifteen to twenty
pounds of seed to the acre. The
.
quantity to SOW is much-argued
question, and twenty pounds is the
maximum, which is advised on the
theory that it is betterto SOW rather
too much than too little. OF course,
old hands with alfalfa may wisely de-
crease the quantity. If alfalfa seed
were universally clean and germin-
able, and the ground forit thorough
ly prepared, sowing twenty pounds
would be grossly extravaganza, for if
90 per cent. of it terminated there
would be nearly ninety plants to the
square foot. a tenth OF which would
be an ample stand.
The quality OF the seed is another
very important factor. Good viable
seed should always be used, free from
seeds of weeds and other plants.
The best seed can never he bought
cheaply, and 1.-THE best is none too
good" The percentage OF germin-
ability should be ascertained by
test before sowing. An easy way to
determine this, within the reach of
everyone, is to invert a small dish in
larger vessel and pour wa ter around
it. Count out 100 seeds aud place
them between two pieces of muslin
and. after wetting, place the whole
on top of the inverted dish, letting
the edges of the muslin rest in the
water. By counting and taking off
at intervals of two or three days nll
sprouted seeds, the per cent of germ
inability is learned. This should not
be less than IS to 80 per cent. 1t is
probably best to SOW fresh seed,
which is Of a greenish orange or egg
yellow color. Older seed has vel
lowish-brown appearance, hut SO
long as it's terminating powers are
not impaired by age does not make
an essential difference.
Alfalfa may be sown broadcast or
with grain drills, and the seed should
have about an inch covering. Many
prefer to SOW with drill having the
press-wheel attachment, as the depth
of plantinglcan be better regulated.
A more even distribution of the seed
is made by running the drill across
the land in one direction, sowing
half the seed, and then cross drilling
with the other half. Presumably ON
account of the difficulty of adjusting
the depth OF sowing with drill,
many farmers use the broadcast
seeder or SOW from the hand, but it
Is advisable to use the seeders Or the
drill, for with the former an even dis
tribution can be had, covering
thoroughly by narrowing, and with
the drill it il certain that the seeds
are in the ground. Where the drills
have no grass-seeding attachment,
it has been found that mixing the
seed with about three timesits weight
OF coarse corn-meal will cause the
drill to feed about the right quantity
of seed per acre.
Whether the farmer has or has not
planned in advance for alfalfa, he
could scarcely make an experiment
in which greater potentialities lie
than to SOW u small patch the COM