Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-12-06
PREPARATION FOR ALFALFA
BY J. E. Waggcner.

g VIZ A~--c1N Va 49, beN -
will do best on the fertile, friable
types. 1t has been grown quite sue
cessfuEy on rather sandy soil, and
On heavy clays, but these are ex-
irene types, and are not the best
for the production of alfalfa. The
fertile, productive soils of the corn
belt, black with stored humus and full
Of plant food, when in the proper
physical condition, produce an abund:
ant crop of alfalfa. These lands. may
not be naturally adapted to this CROP
but they are easily made so. Fail
ures are sometimes due to lack Of
drainage or lack of lime, both of
which will be touched on in another
part of this article.
One of the peculiarities of alfalfa
is that it will not do well in lands
that are poorly drained. 1t is a
waste Of time, seed and money, and
hard on ones patience to sttempt to
grow alfalfa ON poorly or partly drain
ed soil. Neither should field be
selected for this crop where the wa
ter level is only two or three below
the surface. It has been stated, how
ever, that alfalfa will stand for "a
hours under complete submergence.
or for more than 4S hours under per-
tial overflow without being seriously
/ damaged. On lands subject to these
conditions we are taking chances in
sowing alfalfa, and it should be con-
sidered in this light. The first i'm
portant point to bear in mind is that
the land should be we'll and thorough
ly drained.
Peculiar to the family of plants
known as legumes, alfalfa requires
an abundant supply of calcium in or
der to produce the best results. Land
on which there has been a decayins
of vegetable matter for years may bt
acid in nature, thus requiring to b
sweetened by the use of lime before
an attempt should be made to grow
alfalfa. One of the best tests fol
the lack of acidity is the abundant
growth of clover and Kentucky blue
grass, without the application of sta
Bile manure. On such lands wher
these crops grow profuseg, afalf'
should find a favorable home. =
To be on the safe side, which Il
wise thing, considering the fac
that alfalfa seed is very expensive
it is best to apply calcium in SOM
form. This element will be benefi
cial to your land and for other crop
even though you do not grow alfalfa
There are ten or more forms IL
which calcium may be applied, III
the best one is to use finely groun'
limestone rock. This should be al
piled at the rate of one to two ton
to the acre, or fifteen to twenty-five
pounds to the square rod, depending
somewhat upon the availability OF tn
supply. A less quantity will do
it is difficult to obtain. On smaI
areas air-slacked lime may be used
= This should be applied at the rate Q
one-half a ten to the acre, or te
to fifteen pounds to the square roc
Air7slacked lime is more expeHsiy
than the ground limestone rock, bu
may be used in localities where tn
rock is not Obtainable.
The use Of plenty of stable manur
is important. 1t supplies a sufficier
e amount of available plant food I
d nourish the small alfalfa plants.
l. loosens up and aerates the soil, nal
s ing a better seed bed. 1t is one {
2, the farmers best assistants in star
n ing alfalfa. This crop is a soil bunk
er after it gets started, but in tn
L beginning it requires an abundanc
e of plant food before it is well estal
e Hshed. 1t is best to apply well-ro
e ted manure and to mix it thorughl
d with the soil by disking before ploV
a ing the seed bed for alfalfa. In
# use of stable manure at the rate
e eight to ten tons to the acre WI
D give DeSJ TSoulS'
OF all steps in raising alfalfa tn
s. preparation of the seed bed is %
D. most important. Alfalfa does not n
d qmre an unusually deep seed be-
e but II is better if the land has bee
y plowed deep. The under part OF tn
a seed bed should be we'll firmed b
l. disking or rolling, but the upper tW
a or three inches should be mellow
e friabIe and in a good state Of cult
walton. This can be obtained beE
e by the use first Of the plow, the
n the frequent use Of the disk harrow
e Going over the ground two or thre