Arizona republican., 1917-04-08
Important timely suggestions to al
falfa producers, growing and market
ing.

And all the Valley fills
With fragrances sweet and delicate
AS clear strained alfalfa honey is.
| New as it is to us, there appears no !
record of a time when alfalfa was not
in some portion of the world appre- |
dated as an important factor in profit
| able husbal1dry and a benefaction to |
agriculture. 1t is marvellous that this [
plant. as old in the worlds agriculture,
should come to so many after thou |
sands of years as an amazing revela-
ton. Those who have known II long |
est and Best are the ones who esteem |
it most highly; in fact very few who
nave once raised or used it as a feed
are satisfied to be without it; as rule
they contemplate an enlarged acreage
and its increased use.
l. Alfalfa produces with an annual
rainfall as scant as IA inches; in the
Gulf states it flourishes with s. inches.
It gives crops at an. elevation of 5000
scet and in the sandy bed of the former
I Salton Sea of southern California
grows with irrigation, so feet below
the sea level, 10 height of six feet or
more, with sometimes nine cuttings a
year, aggregating ten to twelve tons,
Similar results have been attained
throughout the United States. The
nitrogen it accumulates and the sub
soiling it effects are making the best
| lands still more valuable Wlile it re-
stores to the cropWorn soils the price
less elements OF which they have been
in successive generations despoiled by
a remorseiess rancher. 1t has made
millions of money for and added thou
sands of people to Kansas and Nebras-
ka within the past ten years. 1t means
the building of creameries and factor
les, the multiplication of dairy herds,
the establishment of combination dairy
and stock ranches, rearing of better
live stock and the promotion of diver
sified farming. Crowd alfalfa into
region and you change its history.
Salt River Valley is unique in many
things, but none more than in the CON-
mendable position she couples. in grow
ing alfalfa, having in round figures
100000 acres mainly acquired in the
last five eyars. Her advancement in
this is one of the marvels of her pro-
life agriculture, and in alfalfa, as in
cotton etc, no other project approaches
her acreage or aggregate. Doubtless
since its advent alfalfa has sold more
Salt River land and at higher prices
than any other one growth, commodity
OF influence. It's cultivation and feed
ing mark the highest development OF
modern agriculture. No other ranches
change hands less freqeuntly than those
their owners know of no other invest
ment likely to pay so well, and are
fearful of naming prices they may latel
regret.
Regardless of the hardness of alfal-
ia, yielding under widely varying con-
ditions well nigh incredible quantities
of Incompatible forage some brains
are requisite to success in its growth
and harvesting. To say amy fool car
off ell httt with
decent treatment under ordinarily fav-
orable conditions it is bringing good
fortune to thousands of those grower:
who know it best and in their dealing
with it use a fair intelligence.
The fundamental requirement is {
fairly fertile soil. Government test'
show the various soils found in thu
Salt River valley to, in most instances
surpasS those found in the rest OF TIL
United States. There is little differ
ence between successful alfalfa grow
ing and the successful growing of othe
crops Poor farming never brings biz
crops nor will poor land produce a
large yields as the more fertile. Witt
this crop as with most other ventures
success chiefly depends on the man
There are those who could not any
where raise alfalfa worth while; Their
are those who do no good at anything
If a man does not possess a fair amour
of brains a fair degree of patient per
severence, and disposition to give hi
alfalfa a fair chance in the way O
water, and a protection from too clos
pasturing until it has good start an
I firm roothold, he is wasting the us
of his land, his time, and inviting Nj
Johnson grass to take possession. JAG
Johnson, perhaps many more johnson
of various colors, has been an asset a
times; but, believe me you will fin
Johnson grass at all times a very dang
erous liability.
DiScing and spring tooth harroWin
Immediately after each crop of hay
harvested followed with irrigation
the best way to develop a strong stan
of alfalfa and crowd out foreign grass
es. Cultivating alfalfa is as essentis
as cultivating cotton.
Next to growing successfully come
the harvesting of the hay. With eli
matte conditions as they are here on
can well afford to take great pains i
its curing. In proper curing somethn
like 10 per cent of the weight evap
crates between the moving machin
and the finished bale The best curin
is not done in the swath nor in the he
sun Drying and curing are greatly dit
ferent. Drying means getting rid {
the moisture; curing means this and q
the same time preserving and conserv
ing the nutritiye qualities at their bes
Such results are not attained wit
any sort long exposed directly to Ar
zona's scorching sun, which causes II
leaves to quickly dry, and many
them to crumble and be lost in tn
handling; while the less valuable stem
are yet full of sap that naturally shou
have evaporated gradually, through tt
leaves, and may work harm after Il
hay is stored. Air-curing rather tina
sun drying is the result to be sough
Air-cured hay with its original gree
color and pleasing aroma is wort
most to sell and most to feed. tt
leaves contain rs to so per cent of Il
proteinsin alfalfa hay.
From an economical. as we'll as
labor saving standpoint all alfali
weather permitting) should be bale
from the shock instead of ber
stacked. The loss on hay baled fro
shocks and stored is 21s per cent. I'll
same hay stacked from the shock wi
loose at least 12h per cent The actu
saving in the crop alone will more tha
pay for baling from the field.
In one of the foremost alfalfa stat
of the United States where neither SUI
shine nor moisture are more than
chance, as many as five cuttings a
made into hay from May 10 to Septen
Der 25. Sunshine and water are almos
if not entirely, al your command he
and by haying exclusively, pasturil