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

tBy Prof. THOMAS SHAWL
Alfalfa may be grown in nine-tenths
Of the land liz the northwestern states,
providing the land is properly pre-
pared. the right kind of seed ii 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,
1rst, 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
fallowtSg the land when It does not
blow, or by growing a clean Guilt
'ated crop on it, 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
farmyard 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 Is
grown, 1t should not be again plowed
before sowing the seed In the early
spring, however, it ought to be disked
but not deeply, and then narrowed. The
harrow 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 are suffl.
GENTLY hardy.
The seed should be sown with the
drill and without a nurse crop. 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 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
Is inches in year six pounds Of good
seed on well prepared land is enough
Where the rainfall is not more than
IS to 10 inches, 1t may be better to
SOW or pounds. n the plants are
too many for the moisture in the land
the roots will not go down sufficient
~, 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 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
hey may be disked lightly with
profit to the crop. Every year subse
luently the crop should be dlsked
more or less severely In the early
spring and under some conditions
litter each cutting. The disking loos
ems and aerates the soil and allows
The 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
ivating as for corn when thus sown
or 2h pounds of seed per acre
should be ample