The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-07-17

great variation IN price according to
the variety Experiments Mt the Wis
consln station show that OF all north
ern grown seeds not grown under lrri-
CATION methods the preference was for
the seed showing best termination re-
CARELESS OF variety.
Caution should be exercised as TO
the location OF the field. Alfalfa can
be grown on wide variation Of soils,
yet on Its first trial on n farm II IL
best to SOW on high, well drained land
A rich clay loan on top OF gravel or
limestone IL the ideal location, but II
will grow on all types Of soil. varying
from heavy clay to a medium sandy
loan, II other conditions are favorable.
A gentle slope should be selected. On
level land water will gather on the
surfn.e from rains or melting snow.
and II freezing weather follows Ne
will form and smother the plants. II
fields will then become patchy and
should he plowed and reseeded For
the same reason a creek or river bot
tom that In subject to overflow should
II submerged for a few hours, will die
from suffocatlon. Land that has the
water line only two or three feet be-
low the surface should he avoided. as
the plant needs well drained soils.
The natural home for alfalfa IL on
limestone soils or soils that have a
goodly supply OF carbonate OF lime In
them. No matter how favorable other
conditions may be. II the soil IL sour
and gives a strong acid reaction IL will
be necessary to neutralize the acidity
to some extent before IL will be posi-
bic 10 get the best results.
Acid land can occasionally be deter
mined by plants such as sheep sorrel
and mares tail that thrive thereon. II
can always he determined by testing
with blue ll'mus paper which can be
obtained from the druggist. Take some
moist earth from a few inches beneath
the surface of the ground and press
II firmly over strip OF lltmus paper.
Do not handle the lltmus paper when
the hands are moist, as the perspira-
ton from them may cause the paper to
show an acid reaction when no acid
Is present In the soil After the paper
has remained In the soil for ten or
fifteen minutes. II II has changed In
color from n blue To a pink or red. the
soil Is acid. and this acldlty should be
corrected TO certain degree before
alfalfa can be grown to advantage.
The beginner should SOW only small
acreage until he has studied the condi-
lions OF the farm In relation Ia this
crop. One or two acres are sufficient to
start with. Land that has been In
young sod the previous year and then
run 10 potatoes. corn. peas or some
root crop whore clean culture was
practiced Is most suitable. This
should be fall plowed seven or eight
inches deep. so as to have deep. mel
low seed bed
In the early spring run the disk over
the land aud then follow with a fine
tooth harrow at weekly intervals until
about June |. so the weeds will sprout
and be killed The alfalfa seed Is then
sown without any nurse crop, using
twenty pounds per acre. The practice
OF sowing alfalfa with a nurse crop IL
being displaced by the method OF SOW
Ing the seed alone and with much bet.
ter results Where the land IL ex-
,remely weedy II IL advisable 90 sum
mer fallOw and sow TO alfalfa the first
week In August. II weedy the land
should be plowed after the crop is re
moved and n tine tooth harrow run at
Intervals To kin weeds through the lat
ter part Of summer and early fall For
best results one ton OF earth per acre
should Ice scattered Immediately pre-
Occasionally the alfalfa will come into
bud and hesitate 10 blossom. Sprouts
will then Immediately start at the base.
Il should be cut when those conditions
prevail, even though no blossoms ap-
pear.
cutting, II weather has been favorable.
the alfalfa can be raked and put into
small cocks. The cocks should not be
left standing In the field more than
two or three days during wet weather
without moving or the alfalfa plants
underneath the cocks will he partially
or completely smothered. by running
a pitchfork into cock OF alfalfa near
the bottom one can easily move the
pile Ir alfalfa is exceedingly green
when cooked or rainy weather sets In
IL will heat unless the cocks are open
ed every day or two. In favorable
weather no more difficulty will be ex-
perienced in curing alfalfa than in cur
ing heavy growths of clover. A much
better quality will be secured IL the
crop IL cured under hay caps.
The Importance and popularity of the
plant are such that the present acreage
In Wisconsin will probably double In
the next three years. For the past
twelve years the department Of agron-
omy OF the Wisconsin experiment sta
ton has carried on experiments and
issued bulletins bearing uppn the cul-
ture OF alfalfa, The call for informa-
ton has been so great that the last
bulletin Is entirely exhausted. and ne
cessity demands a new edition.
An association OF select alfalfa
growers and experimenters. known as
the Alfalfa order OF the Wisconsin
Expapinant aSanaiafian has haan