Deming graphic., 1913-08-15
COMBINATION FOR HAY
Timothy and Alfalfa Mixture Civ.
en- Praise In Bulletin.
Found Highly Satisfactory for irrI.
gated Meadows Wherever Climate
and Soil Are Suitable for
Growth Of These Crops.

The department OF agriculture has
recently Issued u bulletin on Timothy
Production on Irrigated Land In the
Northwestern States" This bulletin
speaks very highly OF the timothy and
alfalfa mixture for hay 1t states that
A combination OF timothy with alfalfa
makes very satisfactory mixture for
irrigated meadows wherever the elm.
ate and soil are suitable for the
growth OF both OF these crops Al.
though the mixture has not been ex
,ensively tried. wherever II has been
tried on the experiment farm and
elsewhere, so far as the writer has
been able to learn, 1t has been sue
cessful, and all signs would indicate
that this mixture could be profitably
used on q large proportion OF the irri'
gated land where timothy Is now pro
iuced, and also on the native mead.
ows. In localities where timothy and
alfalfa have never been grown TO.
gether. the opinion generally prevails
that such a combination would not b"
practicable. for the reason that the
hrst crop Of alfalfa Is ordinarily ready
~ cut for hay two weeks or more be-
fore the timothy crop Is harvested
who have not had experience in grow.
ing timothy and alfalfa together thai
either the mixture would have to b.
cut before the timothy Is ready, or
else the alfalfa stems would become
woody and the alfalfa leaves turn vel
low and fall badly by the time the
timothy has arrived at the proper
stage for cutting,
These fears are groundless BY the
time the timothy begins to bloom the
alfalfa plants are already In full
bloom AS II grows in field In mix.
ture with timothy alfalfa does not
lodge as II sometimes does when II
grows alone, nor does II produce such
dense mass Of leaves at the base Of
he plant as in fields Of clear alfalfa
For this reason the lower leaves on
he plant do not turn yellow and drop
as readily as they do In field where
dense stand OF alfalfa Is growing
alone. Neither will the stems become
as course when the alfalfa Is grown
with timothy as when grown alone
So leaving the alfalfa couple Of
weeks longer or until the timothy is
ready does II no harm Furthermore,
In localities where alfalfa hay is fed
70 horses II Is the custom 10 let the
hay stand longer before cutting than
II II were fed 10 sheep or cattle.
Another advantage In using the al
falfa and timothy mixture Is that II
cures into a brighter hay than does
red clover and its stems are finer. A
mixture Of % or 20 per cent Of alfalfa
Is much less conspicuous In timothy
hay than Is an equal proportion OF
red clover Alfalfa will also afford n
considerable second crop for mum
ber ui years, whereas In timothy
fields clover tends to disappear after
he first year.
On all lands that are suitably drain
I'd and where the water table is not
too near the surface the alfalfa and
timothy mixture is recommended for
permanent meadows Where the soil
Is too wet for alfalfa or tends to
slight acidity the red top may be sub
stituted for the alfalfa
The resecding OF old meadows tends
to keep down the weeds and keeps
the soil generally In better condition
ny proper treatment meadows that
ordinarily produce only threefourths
10 one and one-half tons OF hay per
acre annually can be made to produce
three to four tons per acre from two
CUTTINGS