The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-09-13

Ahaifa Pays Well by Yield of Seed
In Dry Weather. ".

NV W tno ihost Valuable alIal1d See0
crops ever raised by alfalfa growers
OF this country Is being threshed and
marketed now. While the hot, dry
season has been running the corn
crop and drying up pastures, 1t has
been making the alfalfa men good
money.
Farmers here have threshed crops
which have made ten bushels to the
acre. while from four to six bushels
is a common yield along the Cotton
wood valley and other creek bottoms
this season. A few fields have made
only two or three bushels to the acre,
but even such light yield as this is
not so bad, as II viii make the grow
er from $40 to SIS an acre. On the
other hand. the men who are getting
from six to ten bushel yields are get
ting all the way from $50 to $s5 an
acre. not to speak OF the hay crops
which will be harvested from the
same fields. which are worth $40 or
si2 for each cutting.
Rather unusual conditions are nec-
essary to bring about a bumper al
falfa seed crop. but the chief requis-
lite seems to be plenty of dry weather
after the plant begins 10 blossom. AS
general thing the second crop is
the best for seed. and II is this crop
from which farmers here are now get
ting their big yields. After the FIRST
cutting of hay had been put up early
In the season. there were plenty of
rains to give the second crop a good
start and then It turned dry. As alfal-
In sends Its roots deep into the
sround-sometimes to q depth of 10,
IL or even 20 feet-the plant is neces-
sarily hardy one and is not AFFECT
ed by lack Of rain as soon as the
other crops. For this reason an al
faifa seed crop may be and is often
produced without a drop OF rain.
Just why alfalfa seed is failure In
wet season but win make a big
Yield In dry year when scarcely
anything else can be raised, alfalfa
growers explain as follows: With an
abundance Of moisture and frequent
heavy rains, the plant rows up
quickly. rank and tall 1t will bloom
and the seed pods will form, but that
Is about as near as seed crop as II
ever arrives. for all the strength
seems to 60 into the growing plant it
self. which Is heavy and luxuriant,
but wsich makes only a big hay crop
On the other hand. IL only enough |
rain falls to put the crop In good |
growing condition. and then the sea-
son turns dry before the plant begina
tn blossom. and continues dry dur
ing the time the seed pods are form
ing and maturing. the result Is invar-
iabiy q good seed yield. The tendency
OF dry weather to reduce the growth
OF the plant naturally causes q great
er development and heavier filling of
the seed pods.
In q big seed crop the plant may
stand barely foot high and appear
to one unfamiliar with alfalfa to be a
failure when In fact every plant is
heavily laden with seed. the most VAL
liable thing Kansas farmers have ev.
or raised. 80
Among the Cottonwood valley farm
ers who have big seed yields this year
10 A NJ. Bresse. who this week
threshed 500 bushels OF seed from a
i5o-scrs field. getting an average of
slx bushels to the acre. The seed Is
OF nne quality and at the prevailing
prices of t5 to So bushel will sell
for $4,000 or $4,000. A neighbor--
Harry starkey--who also threshed his
crop his week obtained from a so
acre fsld sos bushels OF an average
OF more than 10 bushels to the acre
which 50 far Is the best seed report
ed here this year. T.. Shaft. another
Cottonwood valley farmer. thresned
out the sung little sum OF $1,5O0
worth OF seed from mis- farm a few
days ago and still has another field
TO harvest. }. II. Gayor. J. o. Wilson,
Charles Ward. Frank Copeland and a
score Of other farmers have harvest
ed crops In the last few days yielding
all the way from three to seven bush
els an acre.
What will doubtless be the great
est alfalfa seed crop ever raised in
this county. however, is now being
cut on the C. M. Gregory farm Just
east of this city. containing more
than 400 acres from which 1000 BUSH
els of seed Is expected.
The article above about alfalfa will
be- very interesting &C. readers OF the
Wafchman ana Srufhrnn waa tho