Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1912-02-22
Former Watertown Citizen Writes
Interesting Letter About the
Growing Of Alfalfa.
ALFALFA GROWING In FAVOR
Alfalfa is a Good Thing to Raise
in South Dakota where it Has
Been Successfully Grown.
Fruita, Col, Feb. 15, 1912.


Watertown S D.,
Friend Barker:
In the issue of the Northwest Farm
er and Breeder, for February 10,
notice two very interesting articles
concerning alfalfa-one, on page 2,
by Mr.. Stoner and tile other, on page
Z, regarding the value of the plant for
enriching the soil.
While l am not an alfalfa expert,
live in region where much alfalfa
is grown, not only for hay, but for
manure as a cover crop, or, as some
prefer to call it, shade crop. wish
to commend both articles to- the
thoughtful consideration Of the farm
ers of South Dakota. Mr.. Stoner's
word of caution regarding the selec-
ton of seed is timely. There are
many varieties of alfalfa. Some kinds
produce only slender stem, with "a
light yield OF hay. Some kinds "stand
up" well, while other kinds have a
tendency to droop, clinging closely to
the ground, spreading out instead of
shooting up. The spreading out var
iety may serve its purpose as cover
crop, but it is not adapted to the pro-
duction of hay, as too much OF the
stem is missed by the mower.
., al .;.yt; t;o,, In, =,
habits of the roots. SONG kinds send
the roots down, for the masE part while
other varieties not ony send them
down, but also spread them out near
the surface. As a cover crop for
fertilizing the soil the greater mass
of roots is obviously to be preferred.
Al Dickinson, North Dakota, some
years ago, quite an extended expert
ment was conducted for the purpose
of testing the winter resisting quail,
ties of the plant. I surmise that a
variety that will withstand the rigors
of Dickinson's climate ought to be
well adapted to the northern sections
of South Dakota. The test showed
that some varieties winter-killed
from sixty to seventy-five per cent.
From that proportion the different
kinds strung along all the way to the
minimum of only two per cent. be-
lieve that only four varieties winter
killed to the extent of only two per
cent.
Any experiment station of the North
west would undoubtedly recommend u
variety adapted to South Dakota con
ditions. It is not well to trust to the
ordinary seed house.
AS a rule three crops of hay are
gathered from alfalfa in Colorado.
Some people make four cuttings, but
my observation leads me to believe
that the tonnage is as great in three
cuttings as in four besides, for my
own use, l think the hay is better.
The alfalfa should be cut for hay when
in full bloom The average crop on our
place here has been six tons per acre.
Concerning the value of the plant
for enriching the soil. i do not believe
that the average farmer fully appre-
eiates its possibilities. The roots 60
deep into the soil. With favorable
sub-soil conditions, the roots will pen
I citrate several feet into the earth the
first season. Alfalfa roots have been
known to penetrate to depth of one
hundred feet, but Of course, this is
uncommon. But it is quite common
10 find them at a depth of anywhere
from eight to twenty feet. have
traced them through Formation OF
shale a pick being required to loosen
the soii, to a depth Of eight feet.
Il The deep-rooted habits of the plant,
together with its great nitrog afher
ing qualities, make it especially dessr.
able as a cover crop, to rotate with
grains and vegetables. One Of my
neighbors, living two miles distant
is known as the Potato King. In 1911
he marketed two thousand dollars
worth Of early potatoes from twelve
acres: He rotates alfalfa with pota,
hoes, growing two crops Of potatoes IL