Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1911-02-16

first crop. from about one-tenth to
one-third in bloom. second crop
about one-half: the third crop in
this climate seldom can reach full
bloom before the frost.
If the first crop gets badly damag-
ed by frost after good start has
been made. say from s to 10 inches
of growth. It is advisable to cut at
once and remove. as a new crop
almost always starts at the crown
looking hay Of inferior quality.
The same is true of crops damag-
ed by hail or other causes.
For cutting alfalfa like a or
foot mower. Rake before any leav-
es are dry enough to shatter and
pile in small shocks soon after. Do
all of this with point in mind to
save the leaves. remembering that
FIVE tons of hay cut and cured prop
erly is equal to about eight tons
of hay which was cut to late and the
leaves lost in the harvesting.
The stacking should be done in
shuch a way that little handling by
hand is done and stacks well made
and just as large as possible so
that as small percentage as can be
had left exposed to sun and rain. The
method Of stacking where the board
slide or sling or net is used in con-
nection with a good strong derrick,
places the hay in good shape in the
stack without much extra labor and
leaves the hay in good shape for
winter feeding. ! say feeding, for
when we get our farms properly ed
iusted the only hay press we will al
low on the N'~"o win be one that
chews its cud while we sleep, for
we must remember that this alfalfa
is a great fertilizer for our western
soil and helps to build it up into
the richest of farm land, that can
not be eQualled elsewhere, even
where millions of dollars are spent
for commercial fertilizers which are
getting higher and higher eaqh
year, and the end of the limited
supply is in sight. Our land must
be cared for and not robbed of It's
own birthrignt While alfalfa does
/, much for the soil, preparing 1t foi
other crops. 1t is a high liver and
demands a tremendous toll A plant
that makes such a rank, quick
growth of such strong feeding val
:. ne must of necessity collect a bis
revenue, and time will tell even OF
!, this rich soil of ours So prepare t
|. put back all that is possible in thu
way of home fertilizers from thu
barnyard Alfalfa is not a wild o
i, transient grass; 1T has not been de
- veloped by long line of work an
r experiments from some other plan
- or plants. but was no doubt given t
h man from the beginning of time N
-, doubt Adam and Eve with bare fee
, walked through the dewy young al
falfa while wandering through tina
orchard of Paradise looking for tina
Jonathan apple. and no doubt con
mented upon its beauty
And Abraham, when he left hi
- home in that wonderful fertile va
- ley to go out into new countr!
more than likely took with him tn
~ seed of this wonderful plant. know
ing it's value to the herds which h
was to care for. and today when on
ranges are fast passing and the pric
&c of food especially meat is steadil
vancing, we must depend more an
H. more upon meat supplied from II
rs farms Not many years ago it W,
ny the custom to hold stock on II
es range as much as possible and fec
" only enough to keep it alive durir
W the winter. Now most Of the rams
stock is fattened on the farm. an
he the day is fast coming when Il
range as a meat producer will be
IL thing Of the past and alfalfa will
ne depended upon to play the leadiI
BIS part The fact that it will stand mu'
grief and neglect should not lie;
ed us to forget that it is thoroughly
es domestic plant. and responds to goo
ed care and thoughtful cultivation. Ju
III the mention Of alfalfa causes OIL
he to forget the wild and barren was
1t the desolate sagebrush plain al
~ think Of green fields, Of fat her
n and PROSPEROUS and happy home
CHI where contented people live a usef
in life.
IT'S The man who grows alfalfa do
ST not care about the prices Of priva