The Raymer enterprise., 1912-09-26
CULTURE OF ALFALFA PLANT
Crop May Sc Successfully Grown In
y Nine. Tenths Of Land Of Various
Northwestern States.
tBy PROF. THOMAS sHAw.)

Wy I1bOC. ldOmAS SHAWL
Alfalfa may be grown in nine.tentha
OF the land in the northwestern states.
providing the land is properly pre-.
pared. the right kind of seed is sown
and the seed is properly put into the
ground and the plants are suitably
cared for.
The preparation Of the soil should
begin one year before the seed is sown
when the plants are sown on land that
ls not irrigated. The object sought is,
nrst. to clean the land. and second, to
conserve the soil moisture as far as
this may be possible. These objects
may be secured by carefully summer
following the land when 1t does not
blow. or by growing a clean cult
vated crop on 1t, and by growing
corn crop where the soil does blow.
Before plowing the land for the
summer fallow or the cultivated crop
not less than dozen good loads of
farlnyard manure should be applied
to the land. which ought to be plowed
deeply. Deep plowing is important.
except on light sandy land. 1t is es.
sential that the land shall be kept
clean and that the moisture can be
conserved in It to the greatest extent
practicable. Whether the land ls sum.
mer fallowed or cultivated crop is
grown, 1t should not be again plowed
before sowing the seed. In the early
spring, however, 1t ought to be disked
but not deeply, and then narrowed. Ths
harrow may be used further at inter
vals before the seed is sown. This
maintains a dust mulch and destroys
weeds that may sprout.
The seed sown should be northern
grown. Turkestan. Grimm and what
Is called Northern Montana are all
good. Northern Montana is another
name for northern grown. All Of
these are good when they can be oh.
tained true to name. and all are sum.
clently hardy.
The seed should be sown with the
drill and without nurse crop. 1t
should be buried from one to two
inches, When thus sown 1t comes up
evenly. When sown broadcast It is
not buried evenly, and II dry weather
follows the stand will be uneven. II
the drill will not SOW the seed alone,
1t may be mixed with something, as
dry soil. free from grit, or wheat bran.
Where the rainfall is not more than
10 inches in year six pounds Of good
seed on we'll prepared land Is enough
Where the rainfall Is not more than
IL to 10 inches. It may be better to
SOW or 8 pounds. II the plants are
too many for the moisture in the land,
the roots will not go down sufficient.
ly, and the yield Of hay will be cor.
respondingly reduced.
The plants may be narrowed, II
necessary. when from to 6 inches
high. and when s to 10 inches high, II
weeds are present or II the tops Of
the plants should lose color, the NOV.
er should be run over the ground
with the cutter.bar set SO high as not
to clip the crowns Of the plants. What
is thus mown should be. left on the
land to mulch the same. Before the
arrival of winter the plants will be
high enough from the subsequent
growth to hold the snow that falls for
winter protection.
When the plants are one year old,
they may be disked lightly with
profit to the crop. Every year subse.
quently the crop should be disked
more or less severely In the early
spring and under some conditions
after each cutting. The disking loos.
ems and aerates the soil and allows
the moisture to penetrate more deep.
ly. The harrow should follow the
disk.
1t is probable that seed will be
grown by sowing the alfalfa In rows
from 30 to AZ inches distant, and cul.
tivating as for corn when thus sown,
2 or 2h pounds Of seed per acre
should be ample.