The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-05-09
EXPERT GROWERS OF
ALFALFA Give HINTS
or BEST PROCESSES
Prof. Hansen and Wizard Bier.
wagon Advise How to
Start Fodder Plant.

Huron, S. D., May PROF. n. e.
Hansen, of the State college at Brook
ings, spent Saturday afternoon IN
Huron, en- route home from an alfalta
planting demonstration tour of the
northern part OF the state. Professor
Hansen is testing his new method or
handling alfalfa, using a special ma
chine which ~transplants one-year
plants instead of sowing he seed.
While here Professor Hansen made
arrangements with c.. n. McIlvaine,
secretary of the state board of agri-
culture, for special alfalfa planting
demonstrations at the 1912 state fair in
this city. At Ipswich $500 plants were
set in % minutes in the presence or
a large number of farmers who had
come in to witness the work. BY set
ting plants in hills and cultivating, the
dodder, a parasitic vine which is a
great menace to the whole alfalfa in
dustry, is easily kept out.
The maximum seed production is also
insured. Some of the new Russian va
rieties which Professor Hansen OBJ
tanned in his trips as agricultural ex-
plorer for the United States depart
ment Of agriculture have yielded at
the rate of Al ,430 seeds to the plant,
which, If in hills at two by four feet,
e 1,029 pounds to the acre. While
here Professor Hansen a a photo
graph made of some alfalfa roots dug
here. This photograph shows the great
injury to alfalfa plants from the pres
ent of sowing in drills. The
present amount of 20 pounds of seeds
to an acre means over 10000 600 seeds
to the acre, when there should be only
perhaps 5000 to 5000 plants. The pho
tograph also included some alfalfa
roots from a field at Ipswich, showing
the injury to the plant from the pres
ent method of disking. since the split
ting of the crown affords access to dis
ease and causes a black hearted con-
dition.
Stanley Mans Theory.
Dan Bierwagen, the alfalfa wizard
of West Fork, Stanley county, has
evolved a most novel theory whereby
he has been able to grow fine stands
of alfalfa even in last summers
drowth. He observed that alfalfa is
native to the mountains, and that
mountain plants grow best in washed
down soil, where more dirt Is being
continually washed in. Acting on this
theory he risked a quantity OF very
valuable Turkestan alfalfa seed on a
piece OF very unpromising looking
WdSItu ONSTldIlu, on WHiCIl tileiS was
heavy coating of alluvial mud. More
mud followed. covering up the crown
of the plant, and he received a tremen-
dous yield from this tract. The plants
growing here proved especially hardy.
neither winter nor summer killing, and
Mr.. Bierwagon believes that the secret
is in the covered crown, whereby this
vital part OF the plant is protected
alike from heat n cold and the teeth
and hoofs of grazing animals. From
some crowns thus protected he has
counted as many as 200 stems. Mr..
Bierwagon made a further experiment
on land where there is M natural
wash. After preparing the same in or
binary manner he trenched 1t from six
to eight inches and carefully sowed the
seed in the bottom of the trenches.
After the plants were UP he dragged
the tract, covering the young crowns.
The rain and wind completed the work.
Last summer without any artificial
moisture he raised Il fine crop where
his neighbors secured none al all. He
believes the coYered crown to be the
secret Of successful alfalfa raising in
western South Dakota.