Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-08-15
AGRICULTURAL NEWS, STATE
COLLEGE, BOOKINGS.
Making Alfalfa Hay

Ah4aiAy A%o DOCA
ceived by the state college at Brook
ings: "We sowed alfalfa a year age
and are now putting up the first crop
OF hay. How should 1t be handled?'
Reply by Prof. A. N. Hume, Agrono-
mist, "Alfalfa is handled about the
same as Red Glover, using the same
kind of %precaution not to waste the
dry leaves. Also alfalfa hay must be
thoroly dry before going into NOW, 1t
may 60 into stacks a little earlier.
Alfalfa, moved n day Ut should be
moved about poisoning time, when
the shoots below are barely starting
second growth) may be raked next
morning and put into high narrow
cocks. Leave 1t there until thoroly
dry. Thus 1t will keep, but the leaves
will be also preserved. They are rich
as wheat bran"
THE WILD oAT WASTE
The wild Dat is getting too much Of
a foothold on many farms In the Sioux
Valley as we'll as other parts of the
State. This Is due to excessive crop.
ping Of small grain and too little crop
rotation. But to put half of the
cultivated land into intertiiled crops
such as corn, potatoes, sorghum and
alfalfa In rows, would mean that it
would be necessary to double the
farm population In order to get the
work done. Since this is not possible
the following method will serve as a
makeshift until farmers become more
plentiful and farms smaller.
First put In as much cultivated
crop as a be kept clean, no more.
Treat more of the land this way. Disc
the stubble behind the binder. This
will help to sprout the weeds. In the
latter part Of August, double disc
crossways and sow winter rye during
the first two weeks in September.
Use three to four pecks Of seed per
acre. The rye will ripen early and
whatever wild oats are not sprouted
and killed In the fall will come up in
the rye in the spring, but will hardly
have time to ripen more seed before
the rye Is cut. Ii no new seed is
formed, the wild oats cannot repro
duce, for the root does not live over.
This plan is highly recommended by
A. w. Palm of Codiugton County.
Still other fields may be sown to some
hardy sod farming grass such as Bro
mus Intermis. BY Manley Champlin,
Asst. Agronomost, South Dakota
State College, Brookings.
BIG DEMAND FOR AGRICULTURAL
INFORMATION
The growing stream of inquiries for
first hand information on agricultural
topics from the agronomy department.
at Brookings indicates an increased
interest Ia better farming In South
Dakota. The annual report OF DR.. A.
N. Hume shows that four thous-
and letters Of inquiry were received
from farmers during the past year.
These letters all asked definite quest
ions concerning farm problems, and
came from all parts of the state. The
agronOmy department. answered
all these requests by personal letters.
In addition, the members of the de-
partment wrote one hundred ten agri-
cultural articles for publication.
/. This important work has to be done
for the most part In spare time, since
all professors are scheduled with
numerous classes. But that isn't all.
The agronomists have conducted a
special seed list containing the names
Of dealers In pure seed and any farmers
having good seed for sale. This serves
as a clearing house between those
who need pure seed and those
who have IL for sale. Fifteen hundr red
letters 9 written to the farmers
who wrote for good seed information.
The agron0my experts also attended
and addressed hfty-one agricultural
meetings, and judged exhibits at
eleven county fairs and corn shows.
The agronomy department of the
State College gave instruction last
year TO two hundred ninety-six stud
ents. The work of this department.
"a probably be duplicated In amount
by others in the South Dakota State
College. II this isn't State Service,
what is? BY Geo. A. Starring,
Agricultural Editor,
SSrNaa~. - n~cn- $50 Un-sS -or.