The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1912-10-05
CULTURE OF ALFALFA PLANT
Crop May Be Successfully Grown In
Nine Tenths of Land of Various
Northwestern States.
By PROF. THOMAS SHAWL

Alfalfa may be grown in nine-tenths
Of the land in the northwestern states.
providing the land ia 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
Is not irrigated. The object sought is,
irst. to clean the land, ard second, to
conserve the soil moisture as far as
this may be possible. These objects
may be secured by carefully summer
fallowiSg the land when It does not
blow, or by growing clean culti-
waited crop on 1t, and by growing a
corn crop where the soil does blow.
Before blowing the land for the
summer fallow or the cultivated crop
not less than dozen good loads of
tarmyard manure should be applied
to the land. which ought to be plowed
deeply Deep blowing 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 is sum
mer fallowed or a cultivated crop il
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. The
narrow may be Used further at inter
walls before the seed is sown. This
maintains 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 OBJ
tanned true to name, and all ane sufi.
ciently hardy.
The seed should be sown with the
drill and without a nurse crbp II
should be buried from one to two
inches. When thus sown 1t comes up
evenly. When sown broadcast It is
not buried evenly, and IL dry weather
follows the stand will be uneven. II
The drill will not sow the seed alone
t may be mixed with something. as
Try soil, free from grit, or wheat bran. |
Where the rainfall is not more than
10 inches In year six pounds of good !
SEED on well prepared land is enough. |
Where the rainfall is not more than
10 TO 10 inches, 1t may be better to |
SOW Z or 8 pounds. II the plants are
90 many for the moisture in the land,
he roots will not go down sufficient.
y, and the yield of hay will be cor. 7
reduced.
The plants may be narrowed ~
necessary, when from s to 6 inches
l1gh, and when to 10 inches high, IL
weeds are present or If the tops of
me plants should lose color, the NOV.
n should be run over the ground
With the cutter-bar set so high as not /
o clip the crowns of the plants. What
S thus mown should be left on the
and to mulch the same. Before the
arrival OF winter the plants will be
ilsn enough from the subsequent
growth to hold the snow that falls for
winter protection.
When the plants are one year old,
hey may be disked lightly with
'front.' to the crop. Every year subse.
luently the crop should be disked
more or less severely in the early
spring and under some conditions
lfter each cutting, The disking loos.
ms and aerates the soil and allows
he moisture to. penetrate more deep
y The harrow should follow the
lisk.
1t Is probable that seed will be
'rown by sowing the alfalfa in rows
rom 30 to AZ inches distant, and cul.
WAITING as for corn when thus sown
or 21s pounds OF seed per acre
should be annie