The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-10-22
SOWING ALFALFA CROP
NO PLANT is MORE AFFECTED BY
CONDITIONS.
In All Regions Not Under Irrigation
Advice 10 Almost Universally Civ
en- to Plant In Rows From 80
TO SO Inches Apart
cBy PROF. THOMAS sHAw)

tBy PROF. THOMAS SHAW)
The last word has not been said yet
as to the best way to SOW alfalfa.
Some who pose as teachers on this
question are very sure that their ad-
vice is correct. The less the expert
'ence these men have had In growing
1t. the more positive are they that
they are correct. There Is no plant
that Is more affected by conditions.
The plan. therefore. that Is best In one
locality may be far from the best In
another. II Is greatly important,
therefore, that all those differences
shall be noted. and noted carefully.
In all the region not under irrigar
tion from the western rim OF the Red
River valley to the Cascade Mountains
the advice is almost universally given
to grow alfalfa In rows from 80 to 30
inches apart, Under some conditions
OF growth the advice is good. Under
other conditions II is misleading.
Where the conditions are very dry. is
may be best to grow the crop in rows
spaced thus widely. But II win prob
ably be found that In much OF the dry
country II will be better to grow II In
rows not more than say ~ inches dis
tant.
One objection to growing the crop
In widespread rows arises from the
soiling OF the crop when II Ia being
harvested. When II Is moved, much
OF II falls on bare soil. The horses
that draw the mower tramp over IT,
This aids In the soiling OF the crop.
more or less. II Is then raked, and
the raking process adds more to the
adherent dust. or course, where the
conditions are such that It cannot be
grown without spacing the rows thus
widely. this Ia one of the things that
must be borne with.
II the crop is sown with the grain
drill, and every other drill tube ia
plugged. the rows will then be about
twelve inches apart The plants will
then have a fair amount of room. II
small quantities OF the seed are used.
The crop may then be kept clean with
the disk and harrow, a process that is
much quicker than the cultivation OF
the widespread rows can be. There
would then be enough OF plants on
the ground to keep the crop from be-
ing soiled with earth while II Is being
harvested.
The question may be raised, how is
one to know In the absence of expert
ence. whether to plant in wide-spaced
rows or In those that are closer? The
a.. q ha In
by trying Before rushing biindly In
to the matter and planting large
area one way or the other. II Is better
to go a little slower and plant only
moderate quantity by each OF the two
methods. or course, where one or
these has been tried and found sue
cessful, under the same conditions.
this experience may be safely taken
as a guide for that locality.
Where the rainfall Is not less than
ID OF 10 inches In year. II has yet
TO be proved that II is better to grow
alfalfa In wide rows than otherwise.
when II is grown for hay. Possibly
It may be different when II Is grown
for seed. More light is wanted on
this question. Should the average rain
fall be as low as 10 to IL inches. II
will probably be- found that It will
pay better to grow 1t In wide spaced
rows.
In dry areas the preparation OF the
soil is greatly important. The prepa-
ration should be such that much mols-
ture will go down. II the moisture
Is not far down In the subsoil when
the alfalfa is planted. the roots will
not go down. Where the roots do not
go down. the plants will not make
sufficient growth. The results will not
prove satisfactory. Too much care
cannot well be exercised In SO harl-
ding the soil that II will be well stored
with moisture when the seed is sown.
Then sowing Is greatly important.
When the plants are toe thick, there
is not enough moisture for each
Should they be thin. Il Is surprising
how they stool or rather bunch out.
When they come up thickly and get
firmly rooted. II Is difficult to thin
them. In fact. 1t is almost impos-
sible TO do 80 save by the aid OF a
plow. II the rows are one foot dis
tant, and the stand In the rows II
too thick. the plan may prove good
which runs the plow across the rows
at intervals TO cut out some OF the
plants. This can only be effectively
done before the roots have become too
strong.