The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-03-19
ALFALFA ON DRY LAND
Three Conditions Under Which
Farmers May Try Crop.
tlest, Whore Sufficient Moisture Can
De Secured, In Locations Whore
Pumping Plant 10 Handy and
on Deep Coll.

Dy PHILo X. BL1NN. Alfalfa Special
fst, Colorado Agricultural Colls6s.)
Alfalfa under dry farming condi.
tions can not be expected to grow
with the same measure of success
that it does under irrigation. nor
should the dry farmer expect success
when alfalfa is sown in the same man.
nor that is usually sown under 1rri-
cation; a different system of cultiva-
ton must be employed.
Alfalfa is very drought enduring
plant when it Is once we'll estab-
iished, If it's roots can reach some
deep sub-soil moisture, but it is mis-
taken idea that the roots of alfalfa will
penetrate through dry soil to reach
moisture; 1t is impossible. 1t is es.
sential at the very start, in seeding
alfalfa, that there should be moisture
In the sub-soil. It Is useless to at
tempt to seed alfalfa on dry land, that
has not been previously deeply splowed
for several years, so that moisture has
penetrated to considerable depth. II
ono contemplates seeding alfalfa, tho
best plan is to summer till tho pre-
vious season with clean cultivation.
There are at least three conditions
under which farmers could be advised
! TO try alfalfa In the dry farming dis
tricts.
I. Along creek beds -. or, water
courses, where water or moisture from
the underflow would supply the plants
sufficiently to produce fair crop.
z. In locations that might be wa.
tered with a pumping plant, or where
the run-off from storms could be d.
verted onto fields, which were ado.
quately ditched and furrowed to re.
| ceive the water that might be avail
able after heavy storms from land ly'
ing above. There are doubtless many
! such spots through the dry farming
sections that could be we'll devoted to
alfalfa
3. On deep soil that has good mois.
ture retention, and that. has been
deeply titled to establish sub-soil
moisture, alfalfa could be sown with
q view to producing seed BY seeding
In wide rows. SO to 10 inches apart,
! and sown very thinly. IN the rows.
This has been . success IN an expert.
mental way at several points IN the
United States and whom the scondi'
tions are understood, there IL doubt.
less 4 great neld for some men situat'
ed to engage In alfalfa seed growing
/ Under all dry farming conditions II
Ii advisable to SOW alfalfa in, rows
for intertillage, to conserve the mois
ture and to control tho weeds, the
width Of the rows depeadinss some
what upon tho probable moisture sup
ply. Under conditions almost squal
to irrigation, rows 1S to 10 inohel
apart have been successful, but on dry
land which receives only tho actual
> precipitation Of IL to 16 inches, rows
40 inches apart are necessary, thu
stand Of plants in the rows must bl
very thin, for tho overpasturirg Of thu
limited moisture supply Will, .bes Just
as disastrous a. overcrowding q lin
ited water supply with q great herd oa
cattle.
81 Cultivation is absolutely essential t.
all dry farming crops, and especially
alfalfa. to hold tho moisture, and Il
keep clean of weeds. A thin stand o.
alfalfa If neglected vii become a. use
less weed patch.
There are several .dihaoulties to bl
l met in growing alfalfa in rows. First
securing stand of plants, and fight
ing weeds, which can only be met b,
l thorough preparation of tho soil ant
= good careful cultivation. Second, blow
g Ing and washing Of the cultivated sol
between the rows by wind and rains
Selecting the fields not subject t,
these troubles 10 a wise precaution
and it is advisable to SOW the rows I,
J. the opposite way to the direction o
n the prevailing winds, but in the sam,
: direction that the water will run best
n This is sometimes impossible to do
: then one has to cater to the most prob
able danger