Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-05-26
ueterad at the Postoffice at Staunton,
Va, as second class mail matter.
friday. May 26 1911
PLANTING AND GROWING
ALFALFA

excitement RAISED over how oiof va
.esz,ld furnish hay of high nutritious
fvnlue and could be cut twice or tiiree
times a year. 1t is called alfalia,
: cord whose literal meaning is 1.-THE
fodder.n and such glowing accounts
were aiyen of it that expectation was
raised to high pitch, but in many
ss.es the expectations were doomed 10
disappointment.
Manv farmers have become dis
sonraged with it, and have abandoned
its culture, but the reason OF much Oh
shi. failure has been due to the forma-
ton of the soil and to faulty sowing
and cultivation.
The root of the alfalfa penetrates
deep into the earth in search OF waIef'
ua stratum of some impenetraple Ior-
nation, such as slate, lies near the SUI
face. IL interposes an impossible barrier
through which the root cannot pass,
and the plant is dependent on surface
water which will rarely be sufficient
at all seasons of the year.
II the prospective planter suspects
that his soil has such formatlon' IL IL
we'll to drill some holes through the
upper layers of the soil to determine
what the roots will have to penetrate
If the underlying rock be OF a lime
.tone or slatey shale so that the roots
may penetrate between the ncine'
and broken strata, alfalfa should oo
we'll. as it Is almost impossible TO nave
too much lime for this plant.
The time of planting the seed IS o.
the utmost importance, and on this
point it seems that many leadlns
farmers and even many state agrlcui-
tural departments hold erroneou
oninions. They advise spring sowing
whereas there are many arguments II
favor of fall sowing and but few on In
other side. In the first place, fall SOW
ing gives a much better chance to &c
the land in order, and there Is les
trouble from unfavorable weather.
The soil responds more readily
surface cultivation and work can (
done with less danger Of surface wa1s
interfering with normal root deveiol
ment. Next, the annual weeds a
mostly dead and there is no gre'
growth.of weeds to choke the your
alfalfa plants and rob them OF N
trit ion.
Anv rope who has grown alfal
knows how serious is the weed probe
and that large part of successful Gu
tnre lies in weed determination at Il
beginning of growth. Finally the IL
sowed alfalfa gets time to make son
growth and is ready to respond to u
first call of spring so that early IN Jul
it is ready for the mower. Inc on
objection to fall sowing is that I
much water or bitterly freezing weat
or may destroy the plants, but II
spring planting may still be done.
On the other hand if alfalfa be SOW
in the spring, it has to encounter
rraetest enemy, namely, weeds. M
suppose the season be damp and c.
as was last year, the alfalfa will I
grow rapidly but the weeds will pr
Der. and the June moving will rets
the weeds only, without producing
valuable crop of alfalfa. 1t is not l
likely that the same result will foil
in the July and September mowlr
and this means that the farmer lose
whole season, which means doll
and many of them.
The experience of the most succt
full growers of alfalfa points out I
mode of culture. Take the piece
land on which the proposed crop is
be grown and pillow deep in the sprl
working it fine for a summer CT
This had best be COW peas as the T
draw nitrogen from the air and T.
have bacteria on their roots similar
those of the alfalfa.
After this, top dress with 81
heterogeneous fertilizer and dish
harrow 1t, repeating it every ten d
until time to SOW. Remember tina
FIRST alfalfa needs nitrogen from
soil, but this is only for few mon
after which it draws vast stores I
the air and stores it in the soil.
II care be taken in studying and
king this crop, great source OF
enue will be opened to our farmers
it is we'll worth the trouble.