The Raymer enterprise., 1914-11-19
BREEDING OF ALFALFA
Interesting Experiments Made at
South Dakota Station.
Tests Not Only Important In Dis
covery Of Varieties Adapted to
Arid Conditions, But to
Cultivation.

Cooperative tests by drought-re-
sisting alfalfa from Siberia have been
made by hundreds Of farmers In
South Dakota under the direction OF
N. E. Hansen, horticulturist Of the
experiment station at Brookings, S. D.
The experiments have been impor-
tant not only in the discovery of va
rieties adapted to arid conditions, but
also in working out better methods
OF cultivation. The results are given
In Station Bulletin 141, and seem to
Indicate transplanting Of one year
roots, instead Of seeding, in getting
stand on dry land Readers de-
string complete report should OBJ
tain copy Of the bulletin.
My experience, says the author Of
the bulletin. is that by raising alfalfa
plants In we'll inoculated soil, every
plant is abundantly provided in the
course of the first season with nod
ules containing the nitrogen-gather.
ing bacteria so essential to the
growth of the plant. This reason
alone would be very strong one In
favor of this new method, since there
is much complaint due to lack OF In
oculation in many soils, and the farm
er can see the nitrogen-gathering bac-
terra nodules with his own eyes.
My belief is that the present meth
DDS Of disking are extremely injuri.
GUS; that we should not mutilate al
falfa plants by disking and narrowing.
This is in distinct contradiction to the
present recommended practice. but ex-
animation of many plants that have
been split through the heart with the
disk or harrow shows they heal with
difficulty. and many are blackhearted
or diseased, giving free access to bac-
terra. An alfalfa plant should be good
for at least four centuries. but this
means that the heart OF the plant
must be held sacred. A field set out
In plants can be cultivated one way
like fodder corn and then laid by for
the season. By giving each plant
Just the right amount of space in the
beginning. this useless mutilating OF
the plant Is avoided. At Ipswich |
found 25 plants to the square foot;
at Huron, in garden, found 13
plants on two and one-half square
inehes-all of them being as big as
darning needle.
Alfalfa plants in this springs dem
onstrations were set two feet apart
in the rows, with rows three feet
eight inches apart so that the com.
mon corn cultivator can be used. My
opinion is that they should be given
cultivation one way just like fodder
corn but perhaps check row machines
will be devised to make feasible cross
cultivation in early spring and after
each cutting.
Alfalfa is very poor fighter the
first years as the main strength goes
below the ground, hence 1t is often
choked out by weeds. which make
more top than root. But by setting
out a good sized alfalfa plant, often
as big as your middle finger, they
can hold their own better against the
weeds.
The plants should be raised the first
year in good garden soil that is well
They may be transplant.
ed in the autumn of the first year but
the bulk OF them should be kept in
outdoor cellars, such as used for stor-
ing potatoes or trees. or they may be
heeled In close together In furrows
made with plow. In 1910 at this
station on piece OF good garden soil
60x165 feet $4,000 orenburg plants
were raised, which is about two hun
dred and twenty thousand plants per
acre. Probably much more could be
done If no cut worms, etc, appear.
These were raised in drills, much like
carrots and beets. For the purpose
of raising the most seed perhaps
single plants In hills 2x4 feet may
be better than sown close together in
rows. At this rate. II set 2x4 feet, or
5,445 plants per acre, one acre would
raise enough plants to set 40 acres.
OF course the best method for the
maximum seed production will devel-
op with further experience. After
seed of these new varieties becomes
every farmer can follow his
own method for raising seed.
EfsLA