The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-05-25
ALFALFA GROWERS
ENTHUSIASTIC
Creamery Patrons Will
Plant Several Acres
Wide Range of Soil Conditions Make
Experiments Particularly Va1H-
able.

able.
The results which have thus fal
followed the efforts of the Skowhe-
gan Jersey Creamery to introduce
the culture of alfalfa among its pa
irons, leave little to be desired The
lime which the Creamery is furnish
| ing arrived last week, and most oil
the experimenters have secured their
allotment Adyices from Washing ton
are that the seed will be sent be-
tween the first and the fifteenth OF
July, together with the necessary cul-
lures for incubation. Those con
nected with the enterprise are also
greatly encouraged by the fact that
the experimental plot of alfalfa sown
by Elmer Rowell last summer, lived
through the winter much better than
was expected.
In the absence Of any experience as
guide, Mr. Rowell made two perfect
ly natural mistakes. He used land
that had been ploughed in the spring
and then he sowed the seed nearly a
month too soon. The live sod that
was thus turned under and smothered
soured and before the lime had over
come that condition, the growth of
the little plants had been materially
checked. The too early sowing left
a great many weed seeds in the
ground ungerminated, when a longer
term of following would have sprout-
ed and killed the most of them. But
in spite of this poor start the alfalfa
grew and lived through the winter.
and last Saturday the best of it was
more than foot tall.
In company with an editor of the
Independent-Repo Manager E. E.
Harris visited last week those pa
irons who are to plant the alfalfa
seed, to inspect the plots of ground
that had been selected, and make sure
that each one understood just what
is expected He was surprised and
delighted first with the keen interest
shown, and then with the excellent
judgment with which the quarter acre
plots had been selected. Every CO.
operating patron had taken hold OF
the proposition in a way that means
success, If success is at all possible
Cony Sanborn's was the first farm
visited. The plot which he has set
aside for the alfalfa is on the north
erly slope near the crest of the high
hill across the road west of his house
| The land is a light gravelly loan and
was in corn last year. Mr.. Sanborr
/ has ploughed it this spring and had
been over it with the harrow once
at the time of the visit. With the
treatment to follow it should be in
ideal condition before seed time.
Miss Lucy Bigelow of North Fair
route, and the soil of the quarter acre
at her farm was almost identical with
! that of Mr.. Sanborn's. The land was
devoted to potatoes last year and has
been both plowed, narrowed, and fer
tilted already.
Clarence Langley of the river road
has selected a plot of the sandy bot
tom land down on the bank of the
Kennebec. No question about goot
drainage both on and below the sur
face. The land was in potatoes last
year and seemed unusually free from
weeds. A heavy coat of barn dress
ing will be put on before the mex
application of the harrow.
Josiah Fernald's farm lies in the
broad intervale south of Canaan vii
lage. Most of the soil is rather heavy
but over on the east side he has
picked out q quarter acre of darl
loan with a very good slope. Las
year it was in buckwheat, and the
year before in corn. There were two
/ lICuNy Vi 6ldDie tSSlhe
during the same time, and another is
due this spring. The land has beer
narrowed once, and is in excellen
condition.
Milford Withee will plant his al
falfa on the north slope of a gravel
ly hill, where he had potatoes las
J year The drainage of the plot is
about perfect, and the condition OF
the soil leaves little to be desired
Mr.. Withee proposes to carry out thu
treatment scheduled with precision
and raise alfalfa, or have some gooC
excuse for a failure
w. c. Fitzgerald owns the farm ad
joining Mr. Withee, and the soil Their,
is also a light grayelly loan Hi
quarter acre plot was a part of tn,
potato field last year, and is in par
ticularly good condition. Mr.. Fitz
gerald is a Civil war veteran, ant
went to the G.. A. r. encampmen
in San Francisco a few years ago