Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1912-09-12
ALFALFA GROWS IN
MARSHALL COUNTY
A. .. Nordstrom Of Town Of Moose
River, Tells About Growing 1t from
Seed Procured thru Congressman
steenerson.

Gatzke, Marshall Co., Mimi, Sept.
1912 Editor sheaf: Upon your re-
quest to tell your readers something
OF my experience in growing alfalfa
here in town of Moose River, Mar
shall county, Mimi, am pleased to
furnish the following particulars
History tells us that the southwestern
part, of central Asia is alfalfa's native
land and the name, alfalfa" is of Ar
abic origin meaning S'the best forage"
In southern Europe it is known by
the name Sand Lucern. The plant
was introduced in our eastern states
and in Utah by Spaniards, and mark
we'll, it was brought to Moose River
Marshall County, thru the instrument
tality of our praiseworthy congress
man, Halvor Steenerson, and here
grown for the first time by the under
signed. Mr.. Steenerson sent me five
samples of seed, sufficient to seed one
acre as an experiment to ascertain
whether alfalfa would grow in north
ern Minnesota. The varieties were
as follows: Montana Grim, Turkestan,
Sand Lucern from France, Sand Lu-
Germ from Germany and Montana
Hardy. When seeding time approach
ed, Twas advised by the U. S. Depart
ment at Washington to prepare an
acre.sof land for the experiment. The
lsassasame in the latter part of, April
1909 and was contained in five small
sacks within a U. S. mail bag address,
ed to me.
I When I had my acre plot ready
sowed the seed together with nurse
crop, that is, mixed little barley
and soWed it together with a common
"howseeder', each variety by itself
with a vacant space Of one foot be-
tween each, so that even now l can
distinguish between each variety.
Then I made a map of the plot num-
bering each variety and giving it the
name it had when received from the
U. S. Department Of Agriculture
warehouse
I sowed the seed May 27, 1909 and
by the latter part Of June the plants
were eight inches high. That year
harvested only barley, cutting with
a binder having the sickle raised sc
that only the tops Of the alfalfa plants
were cut off, This is an Important
thing to do the first year, as the lons
stubble holds the snow in the winter
and protects the tender plants, which
/. otherwise would be winter killed il
the ground were bare.
When fall came it was necessary tt
experiment and find out how many
plants would stand the Winter-hov
many would be killed and how many
would be killed and how many would
! live. The experiment consisted il
counting out 100 plants in the plot o
each variety. First two poles, eacl
is inches wide were stuck in tn
ground and from them l counted. l
there were two plants on one inch
then one plant was pulled up, and
tooth pick was stuck in the grount
beside the plant that was left, AM
thus I continued until the Toe tootl
picks / had by my side, had been pu
down in little rectangular piece
and then stuck down the second pole
leaving the plants after that unit
spring. As soon as the frost had lef
the ground, I counted again. Thos
that were dead had rotted and thos
htat lived We're fresh and had CON
!, menced to grow.
J The Result.
When the counting was done, tn
, result was as follows: Montana Grin
3 5e live plants, "A winter killed; Tul
hestan, Is live plants, 25 winter xii
!. ed; Montana Hardy, 80 live plants, 2
8 killed; Sand Lucern from Germany
I85 live plants, Is killed; Sand Lucer
from France, IS live plants, 15 winte
Il killed.
The first year, and in the spring 9
4 the second year, no cattle should g
where alfalfa. has been soWn, becaus
q the plants are too tender. Since theu
i my cattle have been allowed to go a
they wished on the plot. both in th