The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1914-04-23
GETTING STAND or ALFALFA
}. o. Morgan. Professor OF Aeroromy
At the Agricultural & Mechanical
College OF Texas

lHAfI'ri III blAilt hlRWluh IN iafih
ly increasing among Texas farmers.
This is evidenced by tho increasing
number OF inquiries coming from the
farmers located outside OF the alfalfa
growing regions Of the state.
The soils on these farms are OF.
ten of sandy nature. deficient In
plant food and lime and thirsty be
cause of a lack OF vegetable matter.
Such soils must BE- greatly modified
before alfalfa can be grown. In many
cases the expenses involved In max.
ing conditions suitable will he pro
hibitive. However. the value OF al
falfa as a hay pasture and soil i'm
proving crop. is so great that farm
ers can well AFFORD to 20 10 more
expense In its production than would
be warranted In the case Of most
any other field crop.
Farmers located under the oondi.
tons outlined shove. who desire To
grow alfalfa. are advised to start on
small scale. onehaT or one acre.
and determine first with what success
this crop can be grown This win
avoid seeding large area TO alfalfa
without knowing first e it's profitable
growth Is possible. and. second. what
are the essential factors IN the soil
Treatment and preparations In max.
ing this test. the following method
IL recommended:
During the early winter months.
preferably January. apply well rot.
ted barnyard manure az the rate OF
10 or ~ tons per acre. Broadcast.
plow and harrow down to good
seed bed. From this time until
spring. keep the surface OF the soil
pulverized by running a harrow over
Il after compacting rains. When the
soil has become warm in the spring.
plant IL 10 cowpeas The cowpeas
should be- planted IN drills and cult.
vatcd 10 conserve the moisture. and
also 10 rid the soil % grasses and
weeds that interfere with alfalfa
growing The cowpeas can be har.
vested for hay when the first pods
have turned yellow After harvest.
ing the covpoas, broadcast plow the
land. then apply sacked lime at the
rate of i5oa pounds per acre. Work
tho lime into the soil By narrowing
II down into the seed bed
The soil should then be left undis
turbcd until short time before the
alfalfa rs seeded. with possibly the
exception Of a narrowing following
rnir 70 conserve moisture. Fhis a.
lows the seed bed 10 become some
what compact before piaauns an
IDEAL condition Tor alfalfa Tie next
ESSENTIAL wia be to inoculate tie soil
or IN other words. TO supply the
germs that produee the nodules on
the roots 81 alfalfa. thus enabling
the plants 70 secure their nitrogen
from the air This should be- done
a Few days before planting. and is
best done by securing from ne.d
that is producing .alfalfa successfully.
soil enough to apply to your test
plot at the rate OF $50 to 300 pounds
per acre. This soil should not be
allowed 10 dry out before being APP
piled. and as light has a tendency
To KIN the germs. n should be har-
rowed into the soil Immediately AZ
ter being applied. n your soil Ii nat
uraliy poor to begin with. ESQ to 300
pounds OF acid phosphate per acre
should be bruadcasted and narrowed
into the soil NJ tho same time that
the inoculated soil In Incorporated
This would be- required because the
harnyard manure previously added
contains very little phosphoric acid.
lay. or pounds per ton.
Texas OF Oklahoma grown seed
should be- sown at the rate Of 20 ms.
par acre. This seeding should be-
during the month Of September. 10
moisture conditions are good, IL
sometimes happens that there isn't
sufficient moisture In the soil during
the fall season to terminate the seed
and thoroughly establish the young
plants. In this case. IL would be ad.
visable to defer planting until early
spring.