Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1916-08-04
ALFALFA COLTUkE.

As the time approaches for
he seeding of alfalfa many ques-
ions are being asked about the
culture of this valuable crop and
he one that is most frequently |
asked perhaps is what time
should it be seeded2" Thsopinon |
IF the most successful alfalfa
growers of this state is that it |
thould be seeded between the
LIST and the 10th of August.
While the time for seeding is
very important there are four
other conditions of equal i'm.
portance that must be met If
maximum results are to be OBJ
tanned. These four essential
factors are: drainage, humus.
lime and incubation.
Alfalfa is one of the greatest
drouth resisting plants that we
have therefore it is an Invaluable
forage plant in dry seasons. It
has the power of sending its
roots to a considerable depth inio
the soil for moisture and plant
food and it requires a we'll drain.
ed soil.
When selecting a field for alfalfa
growing one must be selected in
which the water table is several
feet below the surface. Alfalfa
can not stand wet feet and it will
die if it stands in water from
twenty-four to thirty-six hours.
Humus or vegetable matter,
Alfalfa loves rich soil and will
grow successfully only on soil
that is we'll supplied with vege-
table mattsr. 1t is an energetic
soil improver, but it will enrich
poor soils.
| Lime is probable the most i'm.
portant factor of all since our
soils are rather deficient in cal.
cium carbonate for successful
alfalfa growing. There are
shout two thousand tons of sol
in the top foot of an acre of la nd
consequently an application o,
ttso tons of lime per acre mean,
lone tenth of one per cent of lime.
iOrdinariallv we consider two
tons of lime per acre a very
liberal application yet the land.
upon which alfalfa is being most
profitably grown contain from
one to four per cent of lime OF
from twenty 10 eighty tons.
THUS we see that the lining oil
land for alfalfa can not be con.
sidered as a secondary matter
nor can the sweetening of thi.
mass of soil be accomplished
with any handful of lime.
Next in order is the question
of incubation. While believe
it advisable to use the pure cul.
lures for incubation purposes
when alfalfa is being seeded or
/ land for the first time yet dc
not believe that artificial inocu.
latiou is absolutely necessary in
this county because sweet clover
is found growing almost every
where. Wherever sweet Glove,
will grow You may BIS sure that
alfalfa will if the other con.
dltions are met with. However,
since we can get the pure .cul-
Itures merely for the asking it
certainly will do no harm to use
them. l. sufficient amount of
inoculating material for two
bushels of any of the legume
seed will be furnished by tho U.
is. Department of Agriculture
absolutely free to any one upon
application. The one require
ment is that the applicant will
SOW a small quantity of the seed
untreated and report on the crop.
/ have on hand a supply of the
application cards and shall be
glad to furnish them.
The alfalfa proposition should
be particularly attractive to the
dairyman because of the fact its
feeding value is about equiv
alent, pound for pound, to that
Of wheat bran.
B. A. WARMER.
County Agent.