The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1914-10-30
SOWING ALFALFA CROP
NO PLANT - MORE AFFECTED ~
CoNDlTIONA
In Al Regions Not Under lrrsoat'oa
Advice 10 Aimoet Universally CIV
On 70 Plant In Row From -
70 - Inches Apart

(6y PROV. THOAAH 3AAWJ
The last word has not been said yet
- to the best way to SOW alfalfa
Some who pose ~ teachers on TINS
question are very sure that their i'd
vice IL correct. The less the expert
ence these men have had In growing
1t, the moro positive are they that
they are correct There II NO plant
that 10 more sfIsctsd By conditions
The plan, therefore. that IL best In one
locality may be far from the best In
another. II Il greatly important
therefore. that all those differences
shall be noted. and noted carefully.
In all the region not under irrigA-
tion from the western rim Of the RED
River valley to the Cascade Mountains
the advice IL almost universally given
to grow alfalfa In rows from 30 to 80
inches apart. Under some conditions
Of growth the advice 10 good. Under
other conditions 1t Is misleading.
Where the conditions are very dry, II
may be best to grow the crop In rows
spaced thus widely. But 1t will prob
ably be found that in much Of the dry
country 1t will be better to grow 1t IN
rows not more than say IL inches dis
tant.
One objection to growing the crop
In widespread rows arises from the
soiling OF the crop when 1t 10 being
harvested. When It Is moved, much
Of 1t falls on bare soil. The horses
that draw the mower tramp over H.
This aids in the soiling of the crop.
more or less. 1t is then raked. and
the raking process adds more to the
adherent dust. OF course, where the
conditions are such that 1t cannot be
grown without spacing the rows thus
widely, this is one Of the things that
must be borne with.
II the crop is sown with the grain
drill, and every other drill tube Is
plugged, the rows will then be about
twelve inches apart. The plants will
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 it is being
harvested.
The question may be raised, how is
one to know In the absence of expert
ence, whether to plant in widespread
rows or In those that are closer? The
answer Is. that 1t can only be known
by trying. Before rushing blindly In
to the matter and planting large
area one way or the other, It Is better
to go little slower and plant only q
methods. or course, where one OF
these has been tried and found sue
cessful. under the same conditions,
this experience may be safely taken
as guide for that locality.
Where the rainfall Is not less than
IA or Is inches In year. 1t has yet
to be proved that 1t is better to grow
alfalfa In wide rows than otherwise,
when 1t is grown for hay. Possibly
1t may be different when 1t is grown
for seed. More light is wanted on
this question. Should the average rain
fall be as low as 10 to IL inches, 1t
will probably be found that 1t will
pay better to grow 1t in wide spaced
rows.
In dry areas the preparation OF the
n iY,,n nj
ration should be such that much mois-
ture will go down. II the moisture
IL 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 we'll be exercised In 80 han.
ding the soil that 1t will be well stored
with moisture when the seed is sown.
Then sowing Is greatly important.
When the plants are too thick, there
Is not enough moisture for each.
Should they be thin, 1t Is surprising
how they stool or rather bunch out.
When they come up thickly and get
firmly rooted, 1t Is difficult to thin
them. In fact, 1t is almost impos-
sible to do so save by the aid OF a
plow. IL the rows are one foot dis
tant, and the stand In the rows Is
too thick, the plan may prove rood
which runs the pillow 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.