Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-03-20
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 mas
recently issued a bulletin on Timothy
Production on Irrigated Land In the
| Northwestern States" This bulletin
speaks very highly OF the timothy and
alfalfa mixture for hay. Ii states that
a combination of timothy with alfalfa
makes a 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
tensively tried. wherever 1t has been
tried on the experiment farm ant
elsewhere. so far as the writer has
been able TO learn, it has been sue.
cessful. and all signs would indicate
that this mixture could be profitably
used on a large proportion OF the irri-
gated land where timothy is now pro-
duced 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 be
practicable. for the reason that the
first crop of alfalfa is ordinarily ready
TO cut for hay two weeks or more be-
fore the timothy crop is harvested.
1t is generally believed by farmers
who have not had experience In grow
ing timothy and alfalfa together that
either the mixture would have to be
cut before the timothy is ready, or
else the alfalfa stems would become
woody and the alfalfa leaves turn yell
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 it grows in a field in mix
ture with timothy. alfalfa does not
lodge as it sometimes does when II
grows alone. nor does 1t produce such
a dense mass of leaves at the base OF
the plant as in fields OF clear alfalfa
For this reason the lower leaves on
the plant do not turn yellow and drop
as readily as they do In a field where
a 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 a couple OF
weeks longer or until the timothy is
ready does II no harm. Furthermore.
in localities where alfalfa hay is fed
TO horses. IL is the custom to let the
hay stand longer before cutting than
II II were fed to sheep or cattle
Another advantage in using the al.
falfa and timothy mixture is that It
cures into a brighter hay than does
red clover and Its stems are finer.
mixture OF 10 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 a
considerable second crop for a num-
Der OF years. whereas in timothy
fields clover tends to disappear after
the first year.
On all lands that are suitably drain
ed 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 OF tends TO
slight acidity the red top may be sub
stituted for the alfalfa.
The reseeding OF old meadows tends
to keep down the weeds and keeps
the soil generally in better condition.
BY proper treatment meadows that
ordinarily produce only threefourths
to one and one-half ton. OF hav per
acre annually can be mace to produce
three 20 four tons per acre from two
cuttings