The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-11-19

Texas.
commercial fertilizers must be en-
ployed II the best results are hoped
for. II must always be borne In mind
that alfalfa requires rich soil. 1t can
not be grown on any kind OF land
that happens to lie handy for the
farmer On the other hand, with
proper conditions and care its yield
will be sufficient to justify the use
of the richest and best drained land
on the farm. Tn the East 1t is usually
best to develop the fertility OF some
OF the high, rolling land and seed
that. Bottom lands should be avoid
ed; not only is the danger from weeds
on such soils greater, but alfalfa alb
solutely requires well-drained land.
Overfiows from streams are usually
fatal to 1t during its growing Pc
Rod in fact, II is unusual for II to
survive more than "a hours Of COM
plete submergence. although during
its dormant period in the winter It is
less susceptible.
Not the least difficulty that the al
falfa grower must face is the neces-
sity for thorough incubation of the
soil In regions where the proper bac-
terra are not supplied by nature.
Throughout the western half OF the
United States incubation in general
does not appear to be necessary, but
in the East the grower who neglects
this precaution is practically certain
to lose his time. There are two
methods now in general use. The
bacteria may be supplied either by
scattering the soil from successful
alfalfa field, or by cultures. The ar
tificial cultures are supplied by the
United States department of agricul-
ture and their use explained in detail
in the printed matter which accom-
panies the bottle OF culture. After
being mixed with the clean water and
certain chemicals these cultures are
applied to the seed, which is then
dried in a shaded place and sown as
soon as possible. When this method
is successful at all 1t appears to be
fully as much so as the scattering of
soil.
For some reason, however which
has not yet been definitely deter
mined, complete failures occasionally
occur; more frequently, In fact, than
when incubation is practiced by the
transfer Of soil. In the latter case
from 800 to 500 pounds of soil per
acre should be used. Care should be
taken to obtain the soil only from
healthy stands known to be free from
noxious weeds or plant diseases. To
secure and handle such quantities of
soil is necessarily somewhat burden
some and expensive business. and Il
Is, therefore, desirable to obtain the
soil from as near by as possible.
When no good soil is available In the
immediate vicinity II is best to seed
a very small area the first season and
to use this soil for inoculating larger
areas later on. Where only a small
quantity Of soil is available, very sat
isfactory results can ordinarily be OBJ
tanned by mixing the seed with an
equal quantity, pound for pound, Of
the alfalfa soil. mashed free from even
small clods. This mixture may be
run through a drill-or sown on q
cloudy day-or after shutdown. II It
must be seeded broadcast in the sun.
shine. scatter the mixture directly In
front of the covering harrow. It 10
also possible to reduce the quantity
OF soil needed for incubation by thor
oughly mixing II with several times
its weight Of ordinary earth. In such
cases from 200 to 300 pounds per acre
may be found sufficient. The grower.
however. who attempts to skimp In
the incubation of his land, like the
grower who attempts to use any but
the best land. is apt to find that al
falfa instead Of profitable is losing
crop.