The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-01-22
ALFALFA ON DRY LAND
Prepare Soil One Year Before the
Seed Is S0wn.
Deep Flowing Is important and II 10
Essential That Moisture Should
Be Conserved e Greatest
Extent Practicable.

10y IANOE. ItOMAh BIN W.
Alfalfa may be grown In n~ine-tenths
of the land In the northwestern states,
providing the land is properly pre-
pared, the right kind OF seed is sown,
and the seed Ia properly put into the
ground and the plants suitably cared
for.
The preparation Of the soil should
begin n year before the seed is
sown when the plants are sown on
dry land. The object sought Is, first,
to clean the land. and second. to con
serve the soil moisture as far as this
may be possible. These objects may
be secured by carefully summer fal.
lowing the land when II does not blow,
or by growing a clean. cultivated crop
on II, and by growing a corr crop
where the soil does not blow.
Before blowing the land for the sum.
mer fallow or the cultivated crop. not
less than a dozen good loads Of farm
yard manure should be applied TO the
land, which ought TO be plowed deep
ly. Deep blowing Is important, except
on light, sandy land. II is essential
that the land shall be kept clean and
that the moisture shall be conserved
In II to the greatest extent practical
BILE, Whether the land Is summer fal'
lowed or C cultivated crop Is grown
Il should not be again plowed before
sowing the seed. In the early spring
however, Il ought 10 be dlsked. but moi
deeply, and then narrowed. The har
row may be used further at intervals
before the seed Is sown. This main
tains a dust mulch and destroys weed
that may sprout.
The seed sown should be northern
grown. Turkestan, Grimm and wha
Is called Northern Montana are al
good. Northern Montana is anothe
name for northern grown. All o
these are good when they can be oh
tanned true to name, and all are sui
~aciently hardy.
The seed should be sown with tn.
drill and without a nurse crop.
should be buried from one 70 twI
inches. When thus sown 1t comes u
evenly. When sown broadcast It {
not buried evenly, and II dry weathe
follows the stand will be uneven.
the drill will not SOW the seed alon'
/, II may be mixed with something, a
|, dry soil, free from grit, or wheat braI
Where the rainfall is not more tina
Is inches In a year, six pounds OF goo
seed on well-prepared land is enough
> Where the rainfall is not more tina
Is TO 10 inches. Il may be better I
. SOW seven or eight pounds. II III
i plants are too many for the moistui
. in the land. the roots will not O
: down sufficiently, and the yield Of ha
, will be correspondlngly reduced.
: The plants may be narrowed,
!. necessary, when from Ave TO 81
: inches high, II weeds are present {
: II the tops OF the plants should los
= color, the mower should be run ov,
the ground with the cutterbar set {
+ high as not TO clip the crowns OF Il
2 plants. What is thus mown should I
I left on the land to mulch the sam
Before the arrival Of winter the plan
u viii be high enough from the subs
. quent growth to hold the snow tn.
$ falls for winter protection,
!, When the plants are one year oil
they may be disked lightly with pro-
to the crop, Every year subsequent
: the crop should be disked more or lei
: severely In the early spring and und.
? some conditions after each cuttin
The disking loosens and aerates Il
soil and allows the moisture to pen
trate more deeply. The harrow shou
o follow the disk.
1t Is probable that seed will
. grown by sowing the alfalfa in ROY
. from 30 10 AZ inches distant, al
! c~ultiyating as for corn when tn
= sown, two or two and n half pounO
OF seed per acre should be ample.