Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1916-07-27
CRY Prices
ALFALFA OUR MOST
VALUABLE hay CROP
Requires Good Soil For Successful
Growth And A Well Prepared
Seed Bed.
NICHOLAS sCHMITz
Maryland agricultural Experiment
Station

No soil, regardless OF type or loca;
ton In the state. win produce fair
crops Of alfalfa unless 1t Is fertile;
producing at least 40 to SO bushels
Cor 10 barrels) Of corn per acre In
normal season, No amount Of fer
tilizer applied either before or after
seeding VIII make UP for poor laid
at the start Moreover, starting al
falfa under such conditions is indeed
very expensive. II the land is poor
II IL far better to wait a few years
and grow fertilizing crops, such az
cowpeas. crimson clover, soybeans and
red clover in the rotation before each
money crop. II manure is available
the more used the better. IN fact
the supply OF organic matter h q very
important factor In alfalfa production
II Is seldom that land very low In
humus grows alfalfa successfully
Thus, the problem Is one OF supplying
the proper amount OF humus as wolf
as supplying sufficient plant food
Alfalfa Requires Drainage.
Drainage must be good Alfalfa re-
quires much more complete drainage
than do other farm crops. Land In
clined 10 be wct and springy in win
ter and early spring. although dry
enough during the growing season 10
produce good crops OF corn. wheats.
oats and grass, Is not drained well
enough for alfalfa. On such land al
faifa "a sure TO be killed out sooner
or later by heaving due to the frps
quent freezing and thawing so Som
mon some seasons.
Abundance OF Lime Needed.
Lining for alfalfa Is absolutely hec-
essary on practically all MARYLAND
soiis--eyen In the natural limo stone
sections. It makes little or no DIFF
ference what kind OF lime Is used II
the proper amount Of each is applied
II ie question OF cost and ease OF
handling rather than the effect upon
the alfalfa.
The amount Of lime 10 use under
average conditions IS one ton per acre
OF Cauatic lime, that is burnt stono or
lump lime. ground HIno or burnt oyster
shells. Hydrated lime should be used
at the rate OF 1900 to 2.7o0 pounds.
and ground lime stone or ground
oyster shells should be applied at the
rate Of $500 pounds TO tons per acre.
The best time 70 appiy iinle is the
seasoi before sowing tho alfalfa. II
however. Tits Is not convenient or
impracticaels. It may be applied just
before, or even AFTER seeding, with the
assurance Of good results and no I'm
fury.
Well Prepared Seed Bed.
Alfalfa requires more than any other
farm crop, a thoroughly prepared seed
bed for successful termination and
carly growth. Sowing alfalfa upon
loose, freshly piowed land will. even
under the most ideal weather condi-
tons. result In little beyond dismal
failure.
An ideal aeed bed is one obtained BY
blowing the land In the fall. then in
early spring narrowing II untn the sur
face Is smooth and thoroughly pull.
verlzed to depth Of about 2 inches.
Hence, where alfalfa follows small
grain, clover. or timothy sod. tho
land should DO plowed as soon as poe
| Flble after the crop has been removed,
thus allowing plenty OF time for at
least one or two good soaking rains TO
settle the soil wen before seeding time
It must be remembered that frequent
surface workings between the time Of
blowing and seeding are absolutely
necessary 10 conserve moisture. kin
weeds. and properly pulyerize the sur
face.