Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-12-04


widespread of crops, can be grown
in this country as far as climate Is
concerned. in every state, but In the
humid sections II Is very exacting In
the character Of soil and treatment |
required The following llstof "don'ta.
published by the u. 8. department |
of agriculture In Farmers bulletin
No. $50 will. therefore. be Of interest;
Ten pon'ts for the Alfalfa Grower.
| Don't fail to provide for ample In
oculation.
Don't SOW poor or weedy seed
| Don't SOW on a weedy soil
Don't SOW on any but a sweet. well.
lined soil.
Don't SOW on poorly drained soil
Don't SOW on any but fnely-pre-
pared, wellsettled seed bed
Don't pasture the first OF second
year.
Don't lose the leaves; they conSti'
tute the best part Of the hay.
Don't seed a large acreage to be-
gin with Experiment on a small area
first
Don't give up, Many prominent al.
falfa growers finally succeeded only
after many failures.
The first essential. as these "don'ts"
show, is proper soil A deep, fertile,
well-drained soil rich In lime and
reasonably free from weeds IL indis-
pensable. and It is useless to attempt
to grow alfalfa on any other kind OF
land. The lack of any one OF these
qualities is very apt to be the cause
of failure especially in the East and
South, where at best alfalfa 10 pro-
duced with some difiiculty.
The plant IL deep-feeding one and
usually sends its roots down many
feet to obtain food and moisture
which are out OF reach OF the shallow
rooted crops. On soil that lacks
depth alfalfa is unable TO utilize its
deep.feeding roots and IL. therefore,
less able to Withstand the attack OF
surface-feeding weeds. An exception
to this seems to be found in the case
Of soils that are underlaid by lime
stone at a depth OF some eighteen
inches or two feet.
Weeds are, in fact. one Of the
EEe&GGAL GnSnANh Vi &nalIAs AAN
young plants are very tender and are
apt to be killed during their early
stages OF growth. For this reason IL
Is good practice TO raise some cult.
waited crop on the ground for two or
three seasons before alfalfa 10 plant.
ed. II this ls not practicable some
such crop as cowpeas, which natural
ly prevent the growth OF weeds. can
be seeded. Alfalfa sown in the sprins
in especially susceptible to harm
from weeds. and spring seeding. there
fore, should be avoided wherever pos.
slble. II is. however, preferable in
Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Da.
kotas where any but spring or early
summer stands are very apt TO win
terkill In general, the principle an
I DERIVING the time OF seeding is TO SOW
as far in advance as possible OF what
promises to be the most trying season
for the young plants. In the East
0 and South a late summer seeding II
a usually best. This enables an earlier
crop to be removed from the land
and gives alfalfa ample time TO make
{ a growth before the winter sets In; q
, fact which gives the plants = good
start In the following spring. and add
y them successfully TO resist the inroat
0 OF weeds.
The conditions that determine th'
time for seeding alfalfa indirectly de
y termine also the crops which shout,
Q precede It. Where late summer seed
: ing Is practiced q truck crop whicI
natures early win enable one croI
to be secured that season and stu
allow time for the preparation OF thi
\ land for alfalfa. Under such circrm
stances the fertilizer demande1 b.
y the truck crop viii probably be sum
n cient for the alfalfa. Another methot
which has the advantage OF riddlni
the soil of weeds. although IL is NO
SO economical In its use Of land. {
n 10 plant , cIean=cuiture crop, such q
corn. cotton or tobacco. These crop
also require heavy applications O
IS manure, and the culture given Their
will destroy any weeds that may hav
- been introduced with the manure
Ordinarily IT IL impossible 10 ne
these crops OF the land In tine 10
q. late summer seeding OF alfalfa and
is consequently good practice 10 see
q green manure crop. such az hair
veteh or clover. which can be cut "a
n. hay In the following spring. the stul
=. BILE ploWed under and the land the
prepared for alfalfa
q, The efficiency Of green manur
Be crops in increasing the humus conteu
of the soil makes them especiGll va
liable as a preliminary crop for a
ID falfa. II the soil ID not fertillzed i
Nv this way, or does not obtain tie BEN
a ft Of manure used for previous cas-
- crops. welI-rotteC barnyard manure {
commercial fertilizers must be On
pioyed II the best results are hope
=. for. II must always be borne In min
that alfalfa requires Gfch soil Il ca
not be grown on ans. kind Of lan
that happens TO lie handy fur Il
- farmer. On the other hand, VII
proper conditions and care lis yie
viii be sufficient 20 Justify the q
OF the richest and best drained lar
- On the farm. IN the East Ii IL usual
best TO deYelop the fertility Of son
Of the high. rolling land and ses
that Bottom lands should be avei
,a ed; not only is the danger from Eeet
on such soils greater. bat alfalfa 8