New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-07-22
s:.Xi,'iG Z 81 STAND y Of #. ALFALFA

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those who have had experience in growing
alfalfa. In order to secure good stand
it is worth while to observe each crop.
Alfalfa can be grown on nearly every acre
where clover can but in order to secure a
good stand care must be used. /.
. /. Believe you can grow alfalfa.
|. 2. Select fertile, we'll drained land,
mot subject to overflow.
8. Sow on weed clean land, preferably
following cultivated crop, as corn or
potatoes.
\. A. Apply at least ten loads Of fine well
rotted manure to the acre before blowing
or as top dressing after blowing. Work
into the soil with disc in either case.
S. Prepare a deep seed bed, blowing
five to seven inches deep. This should
be done the previous fall or several weeks
before sowing the alfalfa.
6. Make the seed bed firm by first
using disc set about straight, then using
a spike-tooth harrow at least once week
or after every rain for six or more weeks
before seeding.
!. Z. If you think your soil needs lime,
consult your agricultural instructor and
have him test the soil, or take samples
for testing. If lime is needed, apply
burned lime, ground lime stone, mari, or
beet sugar refuse lime, if soil is acid. Us
ually two tons to the acre is sufficient.
Sandy soils especially may need lime;
the heavy soils Of Minnesota are usually
we'll supplied with lime.
!, 8. Supply the alfalfa bacteria by
sowing not less than 20 pounds of soil
from an old alfalfa field, or sweet clover
PATCH. before seeding alfalfa, if the land
to be. seeded has not grown alfalfa or
sweet clover previously. The soil should
be worked in by using harrow imme-
diately following the sowing Of it, and it
should preferably be applied on cloudy
day or in the evening,as sunlight quickly
destroys the germ life applied in the SOIL
Liquid culture may be secured free from
the government for seed incubation.
Supplying alfalfa bacteria is not always
necessary but it is the safer procedure to
follow>in seeding a field to alfalfa that
has not previously grown the crop.
9. "Seed without nurse crop" is the
best practice for a beginner. Two or
three pecks Of barley to the acre is the
best nurse crop, if one is used.
I. 10. Sow IL to Is pounds of alfalfa
seed per acre broa c st by hand, with
grain drill; having seeder attachment, or
with cyclone or Wheelbarrow seeder.
A light narrowing should follow any
method Of seeding.
J, H.. In heavy soil plant the alfalfa a
half inch to an inch deep; in light soil a
half inch deeper. Generally, the seed
should be deep enough to, be in contact
with moist soil.
j II. Use northern grown, hardy alfalfa
seed, free, from weeds, and preferably
from old fields.
10. Seed the alfalfa be;ween May first
and August first. See ling in early May
is not advisable unless a nurse crop is
used. The most successful growers pre-
fer to SOW during June and July. Sc
curing good stands as late as August first
depends on soil moisture condition.
Frequent and thorough narrowing of
the land until the early part Of July
produces very favorable conditions for
seeding, as the tillage operations conserve
moisture, destroy weeds, secure a firm
seed bed, and make plant food available.
The best time to SOW will vary somewhat
with the season, due to variable rainfall
but the soil conditions should be favor
able before seeding, especially should
there be sufficient moisture in the soil to
insure quick termination of the seed and
rapid growth Of the alfalfa, just after
a good rain is the best time to seed.
IA. Clip weeds five to six inches high
as frequently as necessary. When young
alfalfa should not be cut too close and nc
cutting should be done after September
l to Is.
Is. Plant again on the same land il
your first seeding fails, but aim to follow
the best practice SO that your first seeding
will be success.
Is. Write for Agricultural Extension
Bulletin No. 40 on Alfalfa Growing il
Minnesota" and read it. Frank E
Balmer, Dist Supervisor of Count,
Agents in West Central Minnesota.