Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-05-08
RAISE ALFALFA SEED
Either Too Much or Too Little
Water Affects Yield.
Sunlight 10 strong Factor and isolated
Plant VIII Equal Several Crowded
Togethse-Rows should es
ThInnsd by Disk.

A high development OF the individ-
ual alfalfa plant Ia necessary for high
seed production, therefore plants
should not only be seeded In somewhat
wide rows. but even thinned. II neces-
sary. In the row. Either too much or
too little water will affect the yield.
In the first case a second growth will
take place. and In the other here may
not be enough moisture to mature a
crop. The margin is a narrow one,
and unfavorable moisture conditions
account for many low yields. An 1s-
inch rainfall properly distributed is
about right for . seed crop. Thirty
inches will prove too much. especially
II much rain falls In the blooming sea-
son. High temperatures are necessary
for setting Of seed and It's develop
ment. though occasionally the flowers
are blasted by over.hot weather. Oc-
casional light frosts only retard seed
development. but either continued
light frosts or a killing one will spoil
the chances OF seed crop. The ex-
clusion Of insects from plants tends to
make them sterile, as the tripping OF
the fertilizing portions Of the flowers
does not take place. Bumblebees.
from their weight. and wild bees. by
the insertion Of their bodies. accom-
plish tripping more perfectly than the
tame bee. which draws the nectar
with its proboscis. Ordinarily alfalfa
sets It's seed with the pollen from an
other flower, but II ia selffertilizing II
the flower be tripped. Lands where
alfalfa easily fnds moisture are sell
dom good seed producers. as they
make n second growth from the stems
OF the FIRST growth. which 10 80 rank
as to lie down. Sunlight Ia strong
factor In seed production, and the iso-
lated alfalfa plant will equal several
plants crowded together, having
much better developed system OF
branches to carry the seed pods. Two
TO three pounds OF seed per acre Is suf-
ficient for row seeding. and a further
allowance should be made In the num-
ber Of plants In an arid climate. When
moist seasons came the plants will
thrive below and above ground. the
spread Of the branches will fill very
large area. and when moisture is lack
Ing the rooots. with proper cultivation.
have a much larger area from which
to draw moisture. The distance be-
tween rows may be from 1s inches up
as high as four feet. at which distance
the yields at Chico. Cal. were as good
an at any other width Probably less
ia no bat kN ii s,tu ha
thinned in the rows by the disk or
plowing. and the yield Of hay. which
is not much lessened by row sowing
over broadcasting. be finer when hay
rather than seed is desired.
The crop to leave for seed depends
on what season Of the year gives the
best seed maturing conditions; also In
the arid country 1t will often be evil
dent at the time Of the nrst cutting
that there is not moisture enough In
the ground TO start and mature sec
ond crop either for hay or seed. and II
must then depend on the growers
Judgment whether to cut for hay and
then cultivate the ground awaiting
rain. II the ground Ia merely dry on
top a good cultivation will restore
things. but II digging shows II to be
dry clear down rain must be awaited.
and II the alfalfa be allowed to stand
for seed in such condition my expert
ence ia that second growth will al
most always start when rain comes.
the seed be lost and two crops OF al
faifa occupy the ground at the same
time. This is less apt to occur when
tho rain gets clear down into the soil
than II II were merely superficial.
which affects the upper part OF the
plants and sprouts the buds at the ex'
pense OF the main plant.