The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-31
Weekly Bureau of In
formation for All Who
Till the Soil or Are In
terested in Making Homes
ALFALFA IN OLD VIRGINIA;
SOME OF ITS MANY USES


Aside from its value rs a soil inn
prover. there are three Important
places that alfalfa may occupy on tho
farm: Seeded alone as a hay crop:
seeded alone MS "a pasture crop FOR
hogs and under ccrt,,in conditions for
other classes OF Stocll. aud for miNinl,
with the grasses and cloVcrS Tor moa-
dows and pastures Tor all kinds of
stock Under soil conditions favorable
for thc growing of TINS crop. II is ECu-
orally advisable to use alfalfa tor all
three of these purposes. \ good stand
OF alfalfa may bc expected to produce
moro hay than amy OF the grasses or
clovcrs. ANA the annual risk and cN-
pensc Of seeding l. largely done away
with. Every general or stock farmer
should seed small acreage near the
barn as q pasture for hogs. \ Nest
cTu man, writinG about alfalfa. sud.
~ pig i'm an alfalfa field is sure to
make "a hog OF himself" and this is
certainly true.
ON many farms a portion OF the soil
Is only fairly well suited to the grow
inS OF alfalfa. besides some of the
grasses should he seeded to pvuducc :,
lay Tor the horses and to avoid the
danger Cf bloatiuE whom used for pas
ture. So that it docs not seem prac-
ticablc 20 devote ali OF the seeded area
OF the farm 10 alfalfa. as good as ii is
If seeded with some OF tho grasses
aud clovers. usually proves to bc -
very valuable part OF thu MIXTURE.
The seeding alone OF ii large acreage
at the first attempt is not recommends
cd, the risk of failure in the hands
of the Inexperienced grower is too
great, but the alfalfa seed should be
mixed with the regular seeding of
clover and should also he seeded alone
OF a small! acreage. ana this increased
n he, ,t..g-i "A
acreage Is secured
Alfalfa is a legumnous plant and
closely related to the clovcrs, COW peas,
beans. etc, and, like them. is able TO
take it's supply of nitrogen from the
atmosphere. 1t thus improves the soil
In the same way clover does. How
ever, after the alfalfa has been seeded
in the field for several years and the
nitrogen ccntcnt Of the soil increased
by the decay OF roots. nodulcS. stubble
ana leaves. the crop viii feed on the
Httratcs made from this course. and
viii take smaller rcrccntapc Of it's
nitrogen from the atmospheric. The
alfalfa then does not do ass much to
build up the nitrogen content Of the
soil after it has been grown for sew
Cral years IN Il field as il does during
the first two or three years after seed
ing. II is, therefore, not advisable to
leave ono field seeded FOR au Indefinite
period of years. or as LONG us ii pro-
UuScS satisfactorily, as IS commonly
done. but 10 seed a new Held which
needs building up, and 10 ploW up the
old field. which should be in excellent
condition to produce very satisfactory
yields OF corn and other crops
Alfalfa makes an idea pasture crop
for hogs and poultry. ana if properly.
managed is aatiSfactory for horses.
mules, sheep and cattle. and some farm
ers have had experience with bloating
OF cattle ana shccp as we'll as other
classes of stock. The exact conditions
which cause this trouble have not boon
well determined. but the danger APP
pears 10 be the greatest when 'hc
growth is rankcSt. when no other feed
Is given 10 the stock when the stock
are turned In when hungry, and when
they are allowed 20 eat all they want
when The alfalfa is wet with dew or