The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1912-02-09

y 4 - 4 =
the land does not blow and,
what is exceedingly important,
put on ten to fifteen tons Of
manure to the acre before sum
ner following. A corn crop
will serve almost as well as
the summer fallow. Potatoes
will put the land i'll splendid
shape for growing alfalfa.
Beans is another crop that will
serve the purpose. Root crops
are also valuable. But do not
lose sight of this fact the land
must be kept clean. When the
land has tbeen prepared by
summer fallow or by raising
some Of these other crops do
not plow again. You have
cleaned that side Of the furrow
slice and if you plow you would
turn up from the lower side
millions of weed seeds. You
would also lose much of the
moisture conserved.
Don't be in a hurry in the
spring to SOW alfalfa. Disc the
land early but not more than
two or three inches deep. Run
the harrow over the Ian! a few
times. Sow the seed between
May 20 and the middle o f
June"
At this point Mr.. Shaw dis
cussed various kinds of seeds.
He strongly recommended
seed grown in the North. He
said the Turkestan variety was
very hardy and also very hard
to get and also that there was
the danger of importing too
many weeds. He spoke high
ly of the Grimm alfalfa but re-
ferred to the corner on the seed
market and the high prices
asked for this variety. He
stated that an effort had been
made to force the price above
fifty cents per pound. Red
River Valley seed was men
toned and Mr.. Shaw said that
lit was sufficiently hardy and
should give good results.
Blu. he added, 1sit is going
to be difficult to get enough
seed this year atzany price and
those of you who wish to sow
alfalfa this year should get in
to the market early. "
The speaker dwelt with much
emphasis on the advice, Sow
your alfalfa with grain drill"
He also gave much attention to
the killing of the weeds. IF
there are too many weeds
showing up in your crop" said
he, run the mower over it
when it is six to ten inches
high. Stock should not be
pastured on the alfalfa field
during the first year and parti-
cularly after the ground is
frozen. With proper care the
first year a crop should be in
sured for eight to ten years
with an average of two cuttings
to the year And he observ-
ed, IF you can get two to two
and a half tons to the acre of
alfalfa what will pay you bet
ter? Certainly not wheat. )"
The farmers were advised that
after the first winter the crop
would be increased by running
the disc or other suitable culti-
vator over the field early in the
spring. Mr.. Shaw believes
after a few years we will be
able to produce our own seed
and stated that he had been
experimenting along that line.
A question from the audience
brought Prof. Shaw back to
methods of planting particular
|ly with reference to light or
sandy soil. He said. of course
on such soil you cannot sum-
mer fallow the year before as
that would add to the drifting
troubles. There are several
good methods. One is to SOW
a light crop of oats and wait
until it is several inches high
before seeding the alfalfa. An
other is to wait until the middle
of June when the likelihood of
high winds is not 50 great, and
drill in the seed. Another, SOW
winter rye the year before;
drill alfalfa in when the rye is
well up and cut the rye early.
Why grow clover when we
can grow alfalfa7" said Prof.
Shaw. Both are nitrogen pro-
lducers but clover is better
rotation crop. Alfalfa does
not fit into a plan Of rotation
for the reason that il will pro
i hat11y hear in this state nrO.