The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1911-05-04
DRY FARM ALFALFA
When Well Established II viii
Survive DroughtS.
It's Deep Roofing Tendency May En-
able Crop to Grow Without lrrisa.
tlon II Roots Can Penetrate
Moist Soil-Number TO Acre.

III farmer on the dry plalnH mas
well that will furnish Just enough wa
ter for 30 head Of stock, II would be
folly for him to try TO keep 60 or 10
head on the same supply Of water and
| II ia equally ridiculous for him to at
tempt TO crowd plants In soil where
the moisture is limited Some plants
may develop with less moisture than
others but alfalfa is not one Of them,
/ On the other hand Il is conceded by
/ all western farmers that an abundance
[ OF moisture IL the key to success In
! growing alfalfa for hay. When II is
I we'll established. alfalfa will endure
/ long droughts and still revive when
[ water iB applied. To that extent, II Is
/ adapted to dry farming and its deep
l roofing tendency may enable the crop
| 20 grow without irrigation II the roots
| can penetrate to moist soil. There are
many localities on the plains where
! the run-off from heavy showers could
/ be collected and diverted by bitches
upon sct. rlited to alfalfa, writes p. X.
Bllnu. 20 the Denver Field and Farm.
Otter IN uEaw. where moisture from
the surrounding prairie is inclined to
center, good encouragement for seed
ing to alfalfa is offered The mum
Der OF plants to the acre that can be
maintained in the dry farming dis.
! trict has not been determined but on
a small tract at Rocky Ford without
/ irrigation for II previous months |
produced at the rate Of two and three
/ fifths tons the acre the first cut
ting. and II made a second growth
equally as good that was left for seed.
[ The plat had been seeded the previous
year to Turkestan alfalfa and thinned
I to single plants 20 inches apart each
/ way. II received one irrigation and
/ was thoroughly cultivated that year.
/ The growth the following year was
l made on the moisture that was
/ stored and conserved In the soil but
: such phenomenal yields can hardly be
expected without irrigation. In favor.
| ed spots however, alfalfa can certain.
| ly be grown II once established and
| properly managed. The growing of al.
! faifa seed offers great opportunities to
| the farmer on the dry lands, because
| the fact has been well demonstrated
! that alfalfa yields seed best when the
[ plant makes a slow, dwarfed growth,
( when II really lacks for moisture, but
has enough 10 set and fll the seed.
When grown under dry conditions the
seed has more vigor and vitality than
/ that produced with an excess OF moist
ure. and II is usually free from dod-
der and other noxious weeds. II the
] field has had any cultural care. There
is n demand for dry land alfalfa seed
/ that far exceeds the supply. In es-
tablishing alfalfa for seed production
! under dry conditions It is recommend.
ed to SOW In rows Is or 90 inches apart
/ with two TO three pounds OF good seed
/ 10 the acre, A thin, uniform stand is
absolutely necessary, even TO thin
/ ming, as in beet culture, but the stand
/ can usually be regulated by the
amount OF seed sown. 1t has been
found that plants 20 inches apart
will support each other and not lodge
or lay on the ground as in the thicker
or thinner stands. with a good stool.
| ing variety like the Grimm or the
Turkestan. plants six to twelve inches
apart in the row are thick enough. II
all the seed would germinate, one
pound the acre would be ample,
but II Is difficult to SOW small guam,
tty uniformly in the row and for seed
production, 1t might pay to space and
thin the plants. The row system is
essential, as II permits inter-tillage to
eradicate weeds and to conserve the
moisture and also allow deep cultiva,
tion to absorb winter storms, allowing
an opportunity TO farrow out the rows
and 10 direct or divert any surface wa.
ter that may or may not be needed
II is the only system that will allow
the tillage so essential to all dry farm.
ing The fourrow beet cultivator
with its wedding knives and other at,
tachments, is m ideal implement for
cultivRting the crop. A four.row drill
adapted 10 SOW alfalfa seed is needed
20 complete the equipment, but the
ordinary beet drill, with the addition
of an alfalfa or grass seeder attach,
ment, can be modified TO suit the work
The seed should be sown shallow. not
over an inch deep, and good results
have been secured with the common
garden arm by marking out the ground
with tho rows gauged in sets Of four
TO correspond TO the four,row cultiva,
tor, Where there is an opportunity to
use irrigation or food water, the field
should be ditched In every other row,
and the burrows logged out with a sled
made OF short logs eight to ten inches
In diameter, and from three to four
feet long, spaced To fit two burrows SO
that the water may be run through as
quickly as possible, for the alfalfa crop
for seed Will need as little water as
can be applied, A short rush of water
after sudden shower can be deliver,
ed over considerable ground II the
field is properly ditched The great
secret in this country is 70 save all
moisture from every source