Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-09-17
PLANTING ALFALFA
Iowa Farmers Should Follow SIM
pie But Important Details in
Planting and Raising. ="

few fundamental principles to be
considered. These, however, are
very simple and can be applied in a
practical manner by any Iowa farm
er who has met with success in
growing the so-called more common
crops.
The first thing to consider is the
location of the field. Alfalfa should
always be planted on we'll drained
land. This does not necessarily
mean that the land must be high,
for excellent stands have been Sc
cured on low land that has been tile
drained. If planted on wet soils,
the crowns which are formed at the
surface of the earth will be raised
when the ground, freezes and thaws.
This will break the. roots and as a
result the plants will be killed.
Again, the land should not be acid
or sour. If this condition is found
lime should be added in sufficient
quantities to overcome the acid. j.
Alfalfa may be planted either in
the late fall or spring. In north
eastern and central Iowa fall plant
ing proves best, while in the west
ern part of the state spring sowing
has given the best satisfaction.
However, no definite line can be
drawn, and the success of the crop
depends largely on the seed bed and
the kind of weather which immedi-
ately follows planting. .,,,
If one plants in the fall the best
system to follow is to first grow a
crop of small grain. After this is
out, or the latter part of July, the
field, If somewhat run down in plant
food, should be we'll MANFRED and
then plowed mediumly deep. After
blowing discing should be started
and continued at intervals until
planting time. This is absolutely
necessary to get a good fine seed
bed that will retain moisture. AL
though good crops have been secur-
ed without inoculating, yet one is
insured of a better stand If this is
done. By incubation is meant to
put certain germs in the soil which
are beneficial to the rapid growth of
the young plants. The same germs
are required that develop in sweet
clover ground. AS sweet clover
grows in every vicinity the easiest
way to inoculate is simply to take
a manure spreader, load it with
ground found around the sweet Glow
er roots, and spread this on the field
as thinly as possible. Whether one
inoculates or not the field should be
thoroughly narrowed before plant
ing, in order to have fine, firm
seed bed. If one plants in the
spring, the land should be plowed
in the fall to get the mellowing eff
feet of the winter weather. In the
spring the seed bed should be pre-
pared in the same manner as for
late summer planting.
1t has been found best to plant
the seed for summer sowing about
the goth of August. Spring plant
ing should be done as early as the
ground can be satisfactorily prepar-
ed. The American variety of seed
should be secured and drilled in
about / 1-2 inches deep at the rate
of 16 to 20 pounds per acre. 1t
should never be sown with a cover
crop as the young plants which are
quite tender are smothered out I'M
der the rapidly growing small grain.
In growing the first crop of alfal-
ia it is advisable to put in small
acreage and become familiar with its
culture. The writer put in three
acres last August and during the
third week of June the first crop
was cut, yielding nearly two tons
per acre. Although one should I'M
derstand growing alfalfa, its culture
is not beyond any Iowa farmer.