The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1915-03-25
ON DhY LAND
There Is No Crop More Profitable
for Hay.
Plant 10 oeep-Rooted and Must Have
Soil IN Which 20 Sink That Long
Tap Root .suhsoiler 10
Often Necessary.

Most Of this western country can
grow alfalfa. To be sure there are
some failures. especially with those
just starting out, but when the condi-
tions necessary for the crop are known
II will be grown with as much success
as the farmers to the east Of us grow
clover. AS far as its value is con-
cerned there is no more profitable hay
crop. A ton OF alfalfa is worth in feed
value about what a ton Of bran is
worth. Say IT is worth SIS and that
an acre yields from one ard one-half
to three tons per acre. then the crop
would be worth from $22.50 to $4,000
per acre Easy figures. you say. Yes.
and also they are figures that anyone
with little effort can obtain.
Alfalfa is a deep-rooted plant and
therefore 1t must have ground In
which It can sink that long tap root.
writes Leon H. Robbins in Dakota
Farmer Break up that plow sole. for
no root can penetrate that, and II the
undersoil is hard It should be loos-
ened up as deep as possible. Some
times II IL necessary to use subsoil-
er. Use field that is clean and free
from standing water. II the early
spring water freezes on the field II
will kill the alfalfa by freezing out
the crown OF the plant
II the field is not free from weeds
then the farmer should spend at least
one year killing out the weeds on the
field. Summer-till the land to kill the
weeds. Work the field early in the
spring by disking 1t. and then plow
the land so that the plowing will be
finished at least by the first Of July.
Plow deep, and by that the writer
means plow so that the pillow cole will
be broken up. Till the field the re-
mainder OF the season to conserve
moisture and kill every weed. The
next season, disk shallow early In
| spring to conserve the moisture and
work as often as is necessary with
the disk or harrow until seeding time,
Seed in June. about the 10th to the
25th, after the ground is good and
warm so that the alfalfa will come up
quickly. In many places II is best
to SOW the crop in rows about "a
to 30 inches apart. II sown in rows
two pounds of seed per acre will do
When sown broadcast. FIVE pounds
of good seed is enough per acre.
Do not clip the crop the first sea
son unless necessary to kill tht
weeds. Clipping sets the crop bacl
too much and II is also liable t.
come too late so that the crop will
not get enough growth for winter pro
lection. 1t is best not to cut even
hay crop too late. Or in other words
late enough SO that there is not tim
between the cutting and cold weathe
for the crop to get six inches high
! This is also true about pasturine
Cultivate the crop IN the spring witt
spring-tooth harrow. an alfalf
harrow or disk run shallow. Thi
will kill the weeds and also form
mulch to conserve moisture.
Give the crop the best of care ur
I'll II is well established at least
Then the returns will be gratifying
Most all alfalfa fields will need In
oculating. This is best done by dir
from some well-inoculated field. II dir
Is used, It should be used on a cloud
day at the rate of not less than 20
pounds of dirt per acre. Scatter tn
dirt by hand broadcast and harrow
in at once. Fields that are not inocu
lated never produce we'll. the plant
always look yellow and sickly. Max
mum yields are obtained from well
| .gtia1 u,aIl fna,ulataI aIfoIFo aaIA.